THE 

AMERICAN 


HUNTER 






Copyright N?._ 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 










































OFF FOR A DAY AFIELD Frontispiece 

With good covers ahead, the anticipation is as keen as the 

crisp October air 





The 

AMERICAN 

HUNTER 

BY 

FRANK WINCH 

AUTHOR OF “FISHING” 
“CAMPING” “LIFE OF 
BUFFALO BILL.” 


NATIONAL 

SPORTSMAN 

SERIES 

*. . £ 

1 > > 

) t > 

Boston 

National Sportsman, Inc. 
! 9 23 






f 


V 


Copyright 1923 

BY 

National Sportsman, Inc. 
Boston, Mass. 


All Rights Reserved 



oct 22 ■a 


©C1A7G0460 

I 


<"VM> 






'^/fREAL SPORTSMAN—my 
constant companion for many 
years with Rod and Gun—A good 
shot—A true angler — The best pal 
I ever had — 


My Wife. 




CONTENTS 


Chapter Page 

I. Upland Bird Shooting . i 

II. Duck Hunting. 7 

III. Deer Hunting. 12 

IV. Hunting the Black Bear.21 

V. Hunting the Grizzly.27 

VI. Moose.33 

VII. Stalking the Moose.39 

VIII. Backwoods Surgery.43 

IX. Camp Doctor.49 

X. On the Blazed Trail. 52 

XI. Wilderness Rations. 59 

XII. Trapping.64 

XIII. Snowshoeing.71 

XIV. Lost! .77 

XV. The Shotgun.85 

XVI. The Rifle.93 

XVII. The Side Arm.100 

XVIII. Care of Guns.108 

XIX. Knives and Axes.113 

XX. Dressing Game.117 

XXI. Clothing and Footwear.122 

XXII. The Dog.130 

XXIII. Cameras and Field Glasses.136 

XXIV. Hunting Posted Property.142 

































INTRODUCTION 


HUNTING AS A SPORT 

IME was when hunting was more of 



A a grim business than a pastime. The 
pioneer blazing a trail so that civilization 
might trek its sure-footed way across the 
wilderness expanses is no more. Frontier 
paths have given way to concreted rib¬ 
bons of highway, the log cabins to roaring 
municipalities, the woodsman and his 
keen-edged axe stand statue-wise in a 
dusty niche of history. The abundance of 
wild animal life that ranged the moun¬ 
tains and valleys of yesterday, like the 
argonaut, are but a retrospective mem¬ 
ory. Here and there to some small, minor 
extent is to be found game, little enough 
at that, and on the other hand, statistics 
prove that each year the number of 
hunters is increased. This, added to the 
improvements in firearms, the cheapened 
methods of transportation, augur none too 
well for the future of hunting, unless the 



X 


INTRODUCTION 


game of hunting becomes more and more 
a matter of genuine sport. 

Hunting is a sport. Man inherently is a 
sportsman. The day of killing just for the 
lust of the thing is passed. Man goes to 
the wilderness today, or as much as he can 
find of it, mainly for recreational pur¬ 
poses, to take a peep into the vastness of 
Nature’s storehouse beyond the ranges, to 
explore the untrodden retreats, and he 
follows the luring trail, all a-quiver in 
rapturous glee as the red gods beckon at 
the other end. 

There’s the call of the wild in every 
heart through which true-blooded Amer¬ 
icanism flows, inbred there from the 
generations of the hardy pioneers who 
have gone before. There’s the appeal to 
freedom, away from worry and care, 
as the hunter shoulders his gun and 
saunters through the realms of romance. 
Real vacation awaits the sportsman- 
hunter, along with a coat of tan, hard¬ 
ened muscles, clear vision, and wobbly 
nerves restored to normalcy. The Nimrod 
edges away from civilization to realize the 


INTRODUCTION 


xi 


pure joy of living, that the red blood may 
run free in his veins, that he may achieve 
an outlook on life with the right per¬ 
spective. 

FINEST OF ALL SPORTS 

Range the entire gamut of sports and 
there will be found nothing greater than 
the lure of hunting. None that calls for 
more mental and bodily fitness, more 
alertness of brain and eye, more supple¬ 
ness of limb, more concentration, more 
observation. The hunter sportsman is a 
gentleman through and through, he re¬ 
spects the property rights of others, he 
does no wanton damage, he is consider¬ 
ate, he is kind, he is fair, he’s not a super¬ 
man at all, he’s just a sportsman from the 
rank and file of our great army of humans. 
Wherein he fails in any of these points, 
there and exactly there is measured his 
distance away from true sportsmanship. 
He will conserve game by not making 
random or out-of-range shots, he is care¬ 
ful of his matches in the woods. A tree can 
make a million matches, a careless match 


XI] 


INTRODUCTION 


can destroy a million feet of trees, and he 
knows it. The hunter is considerate of his 
dog, he does not kill the entire covey of 
birds, nor does he destroy the mother sex 
of big game, or any game. He knows his 
game laws and observes them. 

The sportsman-hunter bespeaks a finer 
man in calibre, a better, cleaner, more 
wholesome sort of a fellow. A man while 
with you in the woods emphasizes the 
truer ideals of companionship, and later, 
back to the commoner places of routine 
life, a man that you cherish, admire, and 
respect as a friend. 

WHAT A REAL SPORTSMAN IS 

Get you to the open, my friend, and 
listen to the message of the pines. Their 
silent, graceful forms will bring a soulful 
peace. There you will meet your Maker 
face to face. There you will find purity, 
exhilaration, and uplift of spirit. There 
with the quiet glowing jimmy pipe, a roar¬ 
ing campfire, beneath the star-lit heavens 
you’ll hear a lullaby from the whispering 
soothing pines, Nature’s choir in tuneful 


INTRODUCTION 


xm 


melody of praise to the Master Creator. 
Your sense of beauty and color will be 
satisfied, this is the Sportsman’s Paradise, 
and God made x^merica for the truest, 
cleanest, most honorable type of all, the 
American sportsman. 

After all, this hunting game is but a bit 
of the bigger game of life. The real sports¬ 
man is not merely playing for the prize— 
he is playing for the fun of it, the health 
of the thing. And, when the trail is over 
and the sky is golden and red with the 
setting sun, he smiles. For life has been 
to him the great game, he has lived by the 
side of the trail, not merely trampled over 
it. The real gentleman and soldier at 
heart, brave to the soul of him, the man’s 
sized man, he that takes to hunting as a 
sport. 


Frank Winch. 




The American Hunter 


CHAPTER i 


UPLAND BIRD SHOOTING 


C OMES now the thought of stubble 
fields, deep woods, old wagon roads, 
clear, crisp mornings with the shimmer¬ 
ing crystals of autumnal frost glistening 
in the sunlight. To this add the gun, and 
that best of pals, your dog, then begins 
thusly, the start of a perfect day. 

Bird shooting means wing shooting, 
with its big moments, thrills and tense 
situations. It means, too, a knowledge of 
where to find game and presupposes an 
inkling of habits and characteristics of the 
feathery tribe. Many sportsmen consider 
the woodcock the finest of all game birds. 
He is a migratory chap and ranges over 
more territory than the quail, breeds over 
a smaller region, is more local and his 
numbers are fewer. Flight season, March 



2 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


to November. Rarely flies far when 
flushed. Hunted in marshy woods with 
dog to point and retrieve. Best time 
toward evening or at dawn, and try the 
north side of the hill. The marks of their 
bills in the mud and white droppings are 
signs to look for. They are here today and 
gone, perhaps—not tomorrow, but to¬ 
night. For twelve gauge gun use three 
and one-eighth drams, one and one- 
eighth ounce of number eight shot. 

Bob White is a cheerful optimist. He is 
the principal upland bird in our eastern 
states. In the autumn he feeds mainly on 
waste grain and the seeds of grasses and 
weeds. Look for him in brush thickets, 
woods, swamps, standing corn, pasture, 
and stump lots. They lie close as a rule. 
Wait until the dew or frost has dried out 
a little before starting in the morning; 
your dog will like the going better and 
pick up the scent easier. Load, twenty- 
four grains, dense, or three drams bulk, 
one and a half ounce number seven and a 
half chilled shot. Best time, midday on 
sunshiny days. 


UPLAND BIRD SHOOTING 


3 


REMEMBER THESE THINGS 

No better bird stands or flies than the 
Grouse. We know this chap, yet no one 
knows all his tricks. Hunt him fairly and 
you will earn every bird you get. Grouse 
shooting will take you to the white birch 
thickets, alder, and tamarack cover, up 
steep hillsides and into dense under¬ 
growth of all kinds. Look along old log¬ 
ging roads, in clearings, and along the 
banks of thickety creeks. It’s a case of 
shoot and miss; don’t get discouraged. 
Shoot and repeat. Some of these old birds 
have been raised on powder and shot. 
Keep banging away, this to help his edu¬ 
cation, and some day an unfortunate bird 
may run into the charge. Grouse flush in 
a startling manner. The first thunderous 
rush is upward and then—ask the old- 
timer. Shoot high. First learn his habits 
by going over the ground in the summer 
and early fall. They are easy to find it 
you haven’t a gun. They are cunning; 
they run and hide and will lie close. They 
like dried huckleberries, cranberries, wild 


4 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


grapes, oak, and beechnuts. Look where 
these abound. Best time, early morning, 
cold or stormy weather. Load for twelve 
gauge, three and one-quarter drams, or 
twenty-six grains. One and one-eighth 
chilled sevens. Important—take along 
plenty of shells and good nature. 

Wild 'Turkey has been called the king 
of birds, maybe because kings of all kinds 
are getting scarcer every day. The best 
gun is a small-bore rifle and the best 
call is made from the wing bone of 
the turkey. Early morning while they 
are feeding or at evening when they roost 
are the best times. Not so hard to hit if 
you can find them. 

The Pheasant is a bird of open or bushy 
country, river valleys, meadows, and 
marshes. He is an elusive running bird 
and hard to knock down. Sometimes they 
lie close, but can run like hares. In cross 
shots aim well ahead. Look along a line 
of fences where bushes, brambles, weeds, 
and heavy grass have grown, in the 
woods and in swamps. It is almost im¬ 
possible to find the birds without a dog. 


UPLAND BIRD SHOOTING 


5 


He should be a last, wide ranging animal 
of the type used lor quail, although a 
staunch slow dog that noses out the trail 
will do. The best is a fast dog that hunts 
with his head high, makes close points 
and covers his field rapidly. For twelve 
gauge use three and one-quarter drams or 
twenty-six grains, one and one-eighth 
ounce chilled either six or seven. 

Prairie Chicken is hunted with bird dog, 
being walked up and shot over point on 
the rise. They frequent fields early in the 
morning and evening; midday, near 
sloughs. Use same load as for pheasant. 

WHEN TO SHOOT 

In wing shooting hold a trifle low for a 
bird apparently flying straight away from 
the gun; hold just above a bird rapidly 
rising without side motion; hold the same 
for a bird going straight away and close 
to the ground; hold above and ahead of 
birds rising and going to right and left; 
hold ahead and below birds going to right 
and left and lowering; hold dead on an 
incomer and shoot quick; hold ahead of 


6 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


birds passing above you. Never check 
the even swing of the gun in a quar¬ 
tering shot—and then repeat the Third 
Commandment. 

Upland shooting takes you to the fields 
and woods when Nature is zestful and 
restful. As the season advances the mystic 
coloration of forest, field, and dell is an 
inspiration to any jaded mind—the tramp 
with gun and dog, game bag empty or 
full, is time well spent. 


CHAPTER II 


DUCK. SHOOTING 

W HEN the day is right for wild fowl¬ 
ing, it is usually wrong for any 
other kind of hunting. Pick a stormy day 
during the seasonal flight and, though 
teeth chatter and toes are nearly frozen, 
there will be shooting that day and plenty 
of it. Calling ducks is an art, attempted by 
nearly every one and mastered by few. 
The best imitations are those done with¬ 
out the use of an artificial device. Study 
the methods of an experienced gunner and 
practice. The call is essential no matter if 
you shoot over decoys, on the pass, or 
wading. It is not difficult to master the 
call. Many are not needed. Two or three 
will suffice. For non-diving ducks use the 
mallard call; for diving or deep-water 
birds use the blue-bill. Of the first type 
may be classed: mallard, widgeon, teal, 
gray spoonbill, and black. For deep-water 
ducks: redhead, blue bill, broadbills, whis¬ 
tlers, and butter balls. It is also well 


8 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


to master the purring call of the red¬ 
head. 

The bluebill is the most persistent 
caller. Listen on some calm day and you 
will hear this chattery chap talking to 
every passing flock. Call to attract the 
birds’ attention to the decoys—then mod¬ 
ulate your call. Sound travels a long way 
on a still marsh. If you call too loud, 
mallard, black, and widgeon will detect 
the fraud. Instance this—you have often 
noticed, after having made a call that you 
or I would concede clever enough to fool 
any bird, that they came in—just out of 
range. There they would sit and study the 
decoys as a half-frozen finger shivered 
around the trigger and shivered in vain. 
Next time sit tight. If the birds are not 
disturbed they will move slowly toward 
the decoys, feeding and chuckling as they 
swim. If they start to circle away try a few 
low calls. For deep-water birds call louder 
or else give a low chuckle that they just 
can hear. As the birds circle around you 
lie low. Your moving will scatter them to 
another direction. Stay low, just high 



DUCK SHOOTING 


9 


enough to clear your blind when you 
shoot. In mallard shooting, as a rule, 
a half dozen decoys will be enough, unless 
there is a succession of open ponds or 
lakes. If there is a great deal of open 
water you can use a dozen mallard decoys. 
About four drakes to eight hens for mal¬ 
lards make the best selection, meaning, of 
course, live decoys in this instance. Mal¬ 
lards like little holes or ponds. They are 
not like deep-water ducks; they prefer to 
select their own crowd. Deep-water ducks 
like to be with the big bunch where nearly 
all kinds are mixed. 

In hunting on lakes or shores where 
there is plenty of wild grass, bulrush, or 
cat-tails, the problem of material for a 
blind is solved. If it is not practicable to 
build the blind on the shore, cover the 
water side of the boat by placing sticks in 
the mud around the ends and one side of 
the boat, using the rushes and grass to 
cover the stick framework. Be in the blind 
at dawn. In shooting over decoys, either 
natural or artificial, place them about 
twenty yards from the blind, in a straight 


TO 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


row or semi-circle. Shoot as the birds 
alight in the decoy. The next best time to 
shoot is when they arise. In either case 
the heavy hard feathers will be missed. 
In shooting from a blind without decoys, 
lead your bird. The distance of the lead 
comes from experience. Ducks travel from 
sixty to ninety miles an hour. Don’t hesi¬ 
tate to give a wounded bird the finishing 
shot. Ducks approaching the decoys and 
fiying with the wind invariably pass over 
the decoys, then swing around to alight. 
Try tolling for canvasbacks and broad- 
bills. A slight noise or whistle will often 
cause ducks to group close together. 
Don’t shoot an incoming bird until he 
passes you. In very stormy weather seek 
ducks in sheltered places, or heavily tim¬ 
bered woods. Lead well. The best time for 
ducking is at dawn or just before dark. 
In windy weather they fly low. Set decoys 
to the windward of your blind. In flock 
shooting, select the leading bird. 

Duck shooting is a great sport. One of 
the best. Birds linger longest where feed 
is best. That stands for good shooting. 


DUCK SHOOTING 


11 

Ever give a thought to putting out some 
feed? Many do; we all should. Make a 
note of the following, get your club in¬ 
terested, and go to it: Eel grass for salt 
water; widgeon grass, sago pond-weed, 
and wild cherry for brackish water; the 
pond-weeds and water cresses for fresh 
water with a slight current; and the pond- 
weeds, banana waterlily, musk grasses, 
water weeds, and coontail for fresh water 
that is usually quiet. Along the margin of 
fresh water where there is no marsh, wild 
millet is desirable. 

Duck shooting is often attended with 
hardship and constant exposure to the 
elements. Pelting rain, driving snow, 
whistling wind, and freezing water. That’s 
one view, and here’s another: 

“But Hark! what sound is that approaching 
near? 

Down close! The wild ducks come, and, dart¬ 
ing down, 

Throw up on every side the troubled wave, 

Then gayly swim around with idle play.” 


CHAPTER III 


DEER HUNTING 

T HOSE of us who have spent many 
years in Nature’s wild school of ob¬ 
ject teaching realize that a hunter of big 
game must develop a woods’ sense. Ac¬ 
curacy with the rifle, while somewhat nec¬ 
essary, is not nearly as essential as being 
able to find the game at which to shoot. 
This may require many seasons of ap¬ 
prenticeship, or it may not. Observation 
is vital. There are many tell-tale signs on 
every side, footprints, displaced leaves, 
frayed patches of birch bark, dewdrops 
dashed from the brushwood, browsed 
twigs, and ruffled moss tufts on the fallen 
cedar. 

The slightest variations in the surface, 
the changes of the growth of timber, the 
qualities of the lying ground, the feed¬ 
ing ground, the hours of the day, the 
placement ot the sun, and shifts of wind, 
these are but the index to the book of 
observation and woods’ sense. To steal 




THE WAITING GAME 






DEER HUNTING 


i5 


upon your prey with the craftiness of the 
cougar, quick functioning of head, hand, 
eye, and foot, the patience of hunger and 
thirst, the endurance of fatigue and in¬ 
difference to heat and cold, these mark 
the line of demarcation from tyro to 
expert. 

Still hunting is the sportiest and most 
scientific way of hunting deer. It has its 
own peculiar charms, from the wilderness 
and solitary nature of the haunts into 
which it leads you, from the strange and 
almost mysterious skill which it requires 
and from the pride of conscious ability* 
which one derives from tracking down a 
blind trail, by signs wholly invisible to 
unfamiliar eyes, to a successful and 
triumphant issue. 

Look for deer tracks along the shores of 
pounds, in the bends of streams where the 
ground is marshy, along old wood roads, 
and in open sloughs bordered by thickets. 
Where a deer track is made tonight you 
are apt to find another one there tomor¬ 
row. Avoid unnecessary noise. Deer feed 
when the moon is shining. In new-moon 


i6 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


time they are abroad later in the evening. 
In the dark of the moon they feed until 
midday. Keep out of thickets and wind¬ 
falls. Locate the regular runways and 
follow every path no matter how dim and 
every ravine and rivulet. When hunting 
in snow, compare your own track with the 
deer’s for freshness. Look for the edges. 
New tracks will glisten, older ones will 
gather fine dust from the trees and the 
crystals will have lost their keenness of 
edge by evaporation. 

On bare ground look for distinct im¬ 
pressions of the hoof, upturned stones, 
pierced leaves, scratches on the rocks, 
broken sticks, or bent twigs. Look for 
small trees where deer have rubbed their 
horns. If you find them in roomy forests, 
stalk quietly or take a stand and watch. 
The best time for this is from sunrise to 
about eight o’clock, or for an hour before 
sunset. Stalk on a rainy day in the open 
forest where deer have left signs. Do not 
look lor deer as you see them in the pic¬ 
tures and paintings, standing as large as 
a horse. They get to be a good size when 


DEER HUNTING 


17 


they reach thirty-six inches at the shoul¬ 
der. Look for spots and patches of gray, 
dark gray, brown, and even black. Look 
very low along the ground. 

SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

A shot in the intestines will bring the 
deer down in about a quarter of a mile, 
and he will remain there if not disturbed 
for a couple of hours. If the deer is shot 
through the leg, wait half an hour and 
then proceed cautiously. Mark where he 
stood at the time you fired, then make a 
careful survey before going after him. 
Look for the hair cut off by the bullet. 
Moss or torn up ground will show whether 
he jumped or kicked as the ball struck. 
Never hurry. Study the situation out, 
make up your mind to go right ahead, 
then—light your pipe, sit down, and stay 
there for awhile. 

The less blood seen indicates that the 
animal will be found dead after a few 
hours. Deer shot in the front half usually 
jump into the air, if not instantly killed. 
If struck in the hind part they will kick 


18 THE AMERICAN HUNTER 

out with their hind legs. A deer shot 
through the heart seldom drops immedi¬ 
ately. He makes off at top speed, running 
close to the ground. Follow at once. II 
shot through the lungs he will go off 
after the first jump. Foamy, light-colored 
blood tells the tale. Follow quickly. If the 
deer is shot through the liver, light your 
pipe and get a second wind, for it is going 
to be a long hike. A shot through the 
head will stop him if the bullet did not 
deflect. 

In the matter of selecting a deer gun, 
there is a wide range of choice. Let this 
sink deep. Any gun that you now have 
and have gotten your deer with is good 
enough. For reasons of sportsmanship I 
do not advocate the small rifle, nor do we 
need a bullet with whirlwind velocity. 
Deer are seldom shot at distances over a 
hundred yards. A rifle giving a velocity 
of around 2,000 feet per second and a 
striking energy of over fifteen hundred foot 
pounds is about ideal. 

Among the cartridges adapted to deer 
shooting are the following: 


DEER HUNTING 


1 9 


Caliber 

Weight of Bullet Muzzle Vel. 

Grams Ft. Per Second 

Muzzle Energy 
Foot Lbs. 

•30 

170 

2003 

1516 

•33 

200 

2050 

I867 

.32 Sp. 

170 

2IO4 

1—1 

oc 

•35i 

l8o 

CO 

VO 

CO 

1—I 

1378 

A take-down rifle 

is preferable to the 


solid frame; a repeater is the favorite. 

Dressing a deer is a part of the game, 
and a vital part if you wish to save your 
game. Open up the abdominal cavity with 
the point of the knife, beginning where 
the ribs grow together and cut straight 
back, being careful not to pierce any of 
the intestines. Cut the membrane that 
separates the abdomen from the chest. 
Reach inside and sever the windpipe and 
throat as high up as possible. Next care¬ 
fully cut around the urinary organs and 
rectum. Turn the deer over on its side, 
feet pointing downhill, and with a little 
urging the organs will slip out. Don’t 
leave the deer on the ground; it will heat. 
Get it over a log or across a rock so that 
the air can circulate underneath. 


20 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


Slice the liver and broil it over hard¬ 
wood embers. Toss off a jimmy pipe or 
so, and know you then, man, that you 
are some lucky chap! 


CHAPTER IV 


HUNTING THE BLACK BEAR 

L ESS than a year ago I was called 
J upon to bandage the wounds of a 
fellow sportsman who had been seriously 
clawed and chewed by a black bear—and 
not a very large one at that. A week later 
my eye chanced upon an article written 
by a self-styled authority who stated that 
bear will not attack a human being. My 
friend smiled from his bed in the hospital, 
and as I read aloud he mutely and in¬ 
tently gazed at his arms still swathed in 
gauze. 

Bear if cornered and wounded will 
fight. Make no mistake about that, and 
so will a squirrel. Ordinarily, a black bear 
will dodge his arch enemy with his high- 
powered gun and put as much ground 
behind him as possible in the shortest 
space of time. A mother bear with cubs 
will attack anything that walks on two 
legs or four. Bear hunting is no pastime 
for the parlor-car sport. Go for the first 


22 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


time with a companion if you can, other¬ 
wise go it alone, with plenty of shells, a 
Winchester, and nerves akin to steel. 
There are many thrills in hunting, but 
the mere word loses its finest interpreta¬ 
tion until your rifle cracks and the big 
black burly mass comes tumbling down 
at your feet. 

The black bear has a head broader 
between the ears, in proportion to its 
length, and a muzzle much shorter, than a 
grizzly. This muzzle is almost invariably 
of a grayish or buff color. Its ears are 
larger than those of a grizzly. Its eyes are 
small and pig-like. Short, curved claws, 
stocky at the base and tapering rapidly to 
a sharp point, are signs to look for. Grizzly 
claws are long, slightly curved and blunt. 
The black bear climbs a tree like a 
squirrel and considers a tree his natural 
refuge from danger. 

SOME FACTS ABOUT BLACK BEAR 

A black animal always has black claws, 
a brown one, brown claws, though this 
does not hold good for the grizzly. The 


HUNTING THE BLACK BEAR 


23 


black bear is a hibernating animal, pass¬ 
ing a portion of the year without food or 
drink in a den or shelter of some kind. 
The further north a bear happens to live, 
and the higher up in the hills, the later 
the spring sets in and the later he comes 
out of retirement. While not much of a 
traveler, he will wander over a fairly wide 
range in search of seasonable foods. He 
tramps about both day and night. The 
black bear will eat anything, flesh like a 
wolf, grass like a horse, fish like an otter, 
carrion like a coyote, bugs like a hen, and 
berries like a bird. 

Shortly after coming out of the winter 
den, black bears are especially fond of 
skunk cabbage and frequent the marshy 
bottom lands. Wild white clover is an¬ 
other favorite, along with the buds of 
young maple shrubs, and other tender 
green stuff. They will saunter along the 
edge of small streams looking for frogs 
and toads. Ant hills are the piece de 
resistance of a bear’s diet. He will travel 
miles to get to a berry patch. In the east 
the bear feeds on acorns and beechnuts; 


24 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


in the west, on the seeds that drop out of 
pine cones. He has a habit of peeling the 
bark from balsam and jack pine. The 
black bear is also very fond of fish. He 
never makes a cache of food, eating his 
fill while the filling is good and thinks 
that tomorrow is another day and lets it 
go at that. 

Big-game hunting presupposes an es¬ 
sential knowledge of observation. Watch 
then for the signs of the bears’ favorite 
food and your chances for a shot and a 
score are good. Never aim at his head. 
He is never an easy mark when he’s in 
motion, and the chances are ten to one 
that the bullet will glance off without in¬ 
flicting a serious wound. If he is coming 
directly at you, aim for the center of the 
breast. If he faces you erect on his hind 
legs, shoot to the left, low on the breast 
toward the belly. If he is crossing, shoot 
behind th<b shoulder, about the arch of the 
ribs. If at close quarters and you need 
your knife, don’t strike, he will parry the 
blow; always thrust with all your strength 
and with a prayer. In thrusting keep the 


HUNTING THE BLACK BEAR 


25 


edge of your blade, which should be 
heavy and keen, upward and outward if 
you are facing the bear, and forward if 
you are standing against his broadside. 

The choice of a cartridge for black bear 
is a matter of individual taste. Many 
favor the Springfield 1906 which can be 
used in the Winchester 95, and the re¬ 
modeled Springfields. Any of the follow¬ 
ing will do — Winchester 150 and 180 
grain, velocity 3,000 and 2,600. Western, 
hollow point lubaloy 180 grain, Peters 150 
grain, U. S. 145 grain, Remington 150 
and 180 point. 

Velocity is needed and the punch when 
it gets there is needed more. The cart¬ 
ridges listed above have both the speed 
and shocking power. Before you start, be 
sure that your gun is in working order 
and correctly sighted, and that your cart¬ 
ridges are new and fit. If it’s your first 
trip, you’ll have something to tell the folks 
back home. Not a bad idea,either, to have 
a little practice at home to tune up the 
nerves, say a few auto smash-ups, fall off 
a few high bridges, look down the barrel 


2 6 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


of a highwayman’s gun a few times and, 
in general, indulge in a few of these mild 
pastimes—there’s a bigger one in store 
for the black bear hunter on his first trip. 

Don’t make long shots, be sure of your 
aims, and don’t cripple your bear, it’s not 
good sportsmanship, and somewhat nerve 
racking. 


CHAPTER V 


HUNTING THE GRIZZLY 

I N THE long, long ago, someone claims 
to have killed a grizzly with a sling¬ 
shot. It may have been done. One of my 
Indian guides in the Bitter Roots some 
years ago brought down a silver tip with 
a twenty-two caliber rifle that I had 
loaned him. I changed guides next day! 
That kind of luck happens only once in a 
lifetime. 

The grizzly has been the subject of 
more misconstrued, misunderstood, and 
highly colored fiction, exaggerated tales 
of personal prowess, hazardous and re¬ 
markable adventures, than any other of 
the big-game animals. Nevertheless, it is 
safe to err on the side of caution. The 
grizzly at any time or place and under 
any wilderness condition is a chap to 
command respect. 

The female grizzly, with young, is one 
of the most dangerous animals in the 
world. It has been my privilege to know 


28 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


some of the greatest shots that ever drew 
bead on a bear. Many years of my life 
have been spent on the ridges in quest of 
grizzly. It has been my fortune to bag 
several of these handsome monsters, but 
never at any time was there an absolute 
feeling of security, such as one experi¬ 
ences with feet esconced on the fireplace 
at home. 

A suggestion to the novice—use cau¬ 
tion. The old-timer does not need this 
warning—he knows it. 

The grizzly is the most impressive ani¬ 
mal on the North American continent. He 
heads the list in brain power. He is the 
most distinguished and dominating figure 
in the animal world. He has strength, 
keen wits, clever paws, and an amazing 
amount of sagacity and bravery. He has 
no idea of running, except at you, and in 
this he has a tremendous and terrifying, 
tenacious persistency. He will fight des¬ 
perately after being shot through the 
heart. The ordinary bullet fired at his 
head will flatten as if it had hit a rock. 
Grizzlies do not offer much in the sugges- 


HUNTING THE GRIZZLY 


29 


tion for a system of hunting them. The 
experience of one encounter may cost a 
limb or a life in the next one. That’s the 
chance you take, a sporting chance, how¬ 
ever, is all that the real big game hunter 
ever asks in the way of odds. 

Grizzlies are usually coated in shades of 
gray and brown. The coarse hairs project¬ 
ing Irom the fur are usually dark with a 
silver tip. He is from six to seven feet 
long. His shoulders are high, the head is 
narrow, the jaws and nose longer and 
sharper than the black bear. He will 
average from three hundred and fifty to 
six hundred pounds. Ordinarily he travels 
along with a gait that is neither a walk 
nor a trot, is exceedingly speedy and his 
endurance is astounding. He has the 
strength to carry off the carcass of a horse 
or a cow. The grizzly will not climb a tree. 
If you are caught unawares take to a tree 
and be safe, unless it’s a black bear. 

a man’s-sized sport 

Bear hunting with dogs lacks in the 
very fundamentals of sportsmanship. 


30 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


Don’t do it. During the autumn the bear 
retreats to the more remote districts and 
fastness of the mountains. In places where 
berries are plentiful, on ridges and in 
gulches where blue jays and squirrels are 
storing their winter supplies, look for the 
grizzly. This is a favorite haunt of his. 
When still hunting in the autumn atten¬ 
tion paid to these small chattering and 
squawking denizens may be time well spen t. 

The bear track is not easily recognized 
by the inexperienced eye, except in mud 
or snow. Look for the imprints of the long 
nail, it stands out almost straight. A 
missed bear is never in a hurry to get 
away unless he scents danger. 

For cartridge any of the following will 
be found satisfactory: 

.30, 250 grains 2192 ft. seconds, 2669 ft. 
pounds. 

.405, 300 grains, 2197 ft. seconds, 3217 ft. 
pounds. 

.30 Government 1906, m 95, 180 grains, 
2700 ft. seconds, 2915 ft. pounds. 
Grizzly hunting is a real man’s-sized 
sport. There aren’t many grizzlies left, 


HUNTING THE GRIZZLY 


3 1 


and to make this pastime even a sportier 
proposition, commendable efforts are be¬ 
ing made to give the grizzly seasonal pro¬ 
tection. The grizzly is the king of the wild 
animal world, shoot him if you will, but 
let the mother bear go in peace. 

Or—adjust that little matter of life 
insurance before taking the shot. 


CHAPTER VI 


HUNTING THE MOOSE 

I F YOU are after the grand prize in the 
lottery of sportsmanship, you are 
headed toward the tall timbers—and 
Moose is your objective. Undoubtedly 
the largest, fleetest, and most wary game 
on the American continent, this giant 
deer offers the blue ribbon event of the 
chase. The craft of the woodsman and an 
accurate knowledge of the habits of Moose 
are the only aids on which the hunter can 
or should rely, and through these and 
with propitious weather he will find little 
difficulty, other than the fatigue and 
roughing which gives its chief zest to life 
in the woods, in bringing these antlered 
monarchs of the northern wilderness with¬ 
in range of the unerring Winchester. 

A full-grown moose is about six feet, 
or more, in height at the withers. The 
weight of a live moose has seldom been 
ascertained, but in New Brunswick and 
Maine the average weight is about one 





THE STILL HUNTER 

With the Winter sun on the hillside and the air still 
and clear his ears are strained to catch every sound. 








HUNTING THE MOOSE 


35 


thousand pounds. The moose is more in¬ 
telligent than either the elk or the white- 
tail. I he hair is coarse and brittle, assum¬ 
ing shades of brown, brownish black, and 
gray-white. The hair near the skin is 
white. The “bell” is common to both 
sexes. Moose have a well-defined instinct, 
developed through the ages when his an¬ 
cestors were pursued by carniverous 
enemies, and has a certain definite motive 
for each measure of self-protection to 
which he resorts. 

While able to travel great distances in 
a short time, nevertheless, if undisturbed 
and in a section where browse is plentiful, 
he will remain indefinitely in a relatively 
small area. He is fond of water. It is his 
refuge from the insect pests of the sum¬ 
mer. He swims well but not rapidly, re¬ 
sorting to ponds and lakelets. He will 
wade out as far as his legs will carry him 
and with his head above the cool surface 
will wallow about for hours browsing 
deliciously on the floating leaves and buds 
of the various kinds of water lily and other 
plants. 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 



HOW MOOSE FIGHT 

Attacks by moose upon man are rare 
even in the rutting season. Wounded and 
at close quarters the moose will attack in 
self-defense. 

“I’ve never seen a moose/’ remarked 
an old guide, “that wasn’t mighty glad 
if he had a chance to run away. There’s 
only one dangerous animal in the woods. 
That’s a man with a gun that he doesn’t 
know how to use.” 

Moose fight with other moose in the 
rutting season. Their antlers are the 
weapon of attack and defense in these 
contests which usually result in death for 
one or the other. Against aq.y other ani¬ 
mal, or man, the Moose will use his hoofs. 
The growth of the Bull Moose and the 
brief season of mating are physiologically 
closely associated. A cow moose usually 
has one or two calves at a time. The 
growth is exceedingly rapid and calves 
remain with their mother until the new 
offspring is born. 

Moose travel and feed at night as well 


HUNTING THE MOOSE 


37 


as day. He rests at either time. He usually 
browses until an hour or so before mid¬ 
day. The sense of sight in all the deer 
family is obtuse and uncertain. His superi¬ 
ority is in the sense of smell and hearing. 
When the snow becomes deep, moose 
gather in the yards where they remain 
until the spring. 

These yards are generally formed in 
situations sheltered from the prevailing 
winds by large pines, hemlocks, or white 
cedars, and where there is a plentiful 
growth both around the circumference 
and within the area of young evergreens, 
the juicy shoots and succulent roots 
upon which they are accustomed to feed. 
Within the limits of these yards they lie 
up at night and feed during the prevalence 
of heavy snows, seldom leaving for any 
distance, unless disturbed, than is neces¬ 
sary to procure subsistence. 

HOW TO CALL MOOSE 

The calling season usually extends 
from the middle of September to the 
middle of October. The best bulls are apt 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


38 

to come in to the call in the first two weeks 
of the season. The usual time for calling is 
the dusk of a still moonlight September or 
October evening or morning, and the pre¬ 
ferred place is the edge of a broad barren. 

An ideal calling stand is a high, flat rock 
with a fringe of brush for concealment of 
the hunter. In some places calling from a 
canoe on a pond or deadwater is success¬ 
ful. Make your first call at a distance 
from the shore. When this is answered 
move gently into a favorable position 
keeping in the lee of the moose. The call¬ 
ing horn is a cone of birch or alder about 
sixteen inches long, three-quarters of an 
inch in diameter at the smaller end and 
three or four inches at the other. 


CHAPTER VII 


STALKING THE MOOSE 

S TALKING, or still hunting, the moose 
measures up to every standard of 
sportsmanship. The strategy required is 
in many respects the same in all big-game 
hunting. The art of still hunting consists 
in taking advantage of man’s superior 
reasoning power, superior eyesight, and 
the inventive skill which gives him the 
rifle, and presupposes a considerable de¬ 
gree of alertness and skill in woodcraft. 

A still-hunter should possess the gift of 
exact observation in a high degree and 
unremitting vigilance. Add to this plenty 
of persistence and physical endurance. A 
windy or a rainy day is favorable for still 
hunting. Be watchful at midday. Moose 
tracks are like a cow’s, but larger and 
more pointed. Learn to judge just how 
old the track is, get a range-view of the 
tracks ahead and watch these instead of 
the ones nearest you. The size of the 
moose may be indicated by the size of the 


4 o 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


footprint. The length of the stride in 
walking and the height at which a moose 
can reach browse on the trees are other 
indications of size. 

If the track leads to the windward and 
appears to be three or four hours old, fol¬ 
low it rapidly. If a fresher track, but the 
moose not stopping to feed, it may be 
followed somewhat rapidly. When the 
track is fresh and you think the animal 
not far away, leave the track, make a 
series of zigzags across it and watch to the 
windward. If the track leads down the 
wind, follow rapidly if it’s some hours old. 
Keep every sense and every nerve alert, 
go quietly, then—if your moose is stalked, 
don’t fire until you have a good look at 
the head, then shoot quick! 

WHERE TO AIM AND WHAT TO USE 

Aim straight, and have no alibis if you 
miss. Jacking, dogging, crust hunting, and 
snaring are forbidden and justly so. Driv¬ 
ing may be done where the country is 
more or less open. Or sit on an open hard¬ 
wood ridge and wait for him to come— 


STALKING THE MOOSE 


41 


this when the land is dry, and too noisy 
to still-hunt, or when a fellow is too darn 
lazy to go in and do the thing as a real 
sportsman should. 

Aim on the arch of the ribs immediately 
behind the foreshoulder. If it must be a 
head shot, aim directly between the eyes; 
the root of the ear from the side or the 
base of the skull from the rear. In crossing 
aim at the forward point of the shoulder 
and fire as he is descending in his bound. 
As he falls, reload instantly, take things 
cooly, and be prepared for anything that 
may happen and—anything can happen. 

Any of the following will prove to be 
dependable cartridges: 

.30 Model 06, 180 grs., 2700 ft. scs. 2915 
ft. lbs. 

.30 Model, 06, 2200 grs., 220 ft. scs, 2370 

ft. lbs. 

.405 Winchester, 300 grs., 2200 ft. scs. 
3230 ft. lbs. 

•35 Winchester 95, 250 grs., 2200 ft. scs. 
2687 ft. lbs. 

.45-70 U. S. Gov., 500 grs., 1200 ft. scs. 
1600 ft. lbs. 


42 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


For an animal running swiftly and 
crossing at an angle of about 90 degrees at 
about one hundred yards, shoot when the 
sights are aligned about twenty-four 
inches ahead, with cartridge of about 
twenty-two hundred feet per second 
velocity; and about eighteen inches ahead 
if using a cartridge of about twenty-seven 
hundred feet per second velocity. For 
animals running at medium speed or 
crossing the line of fire at an angle of 
about forty-five degrees lead, about six 
inches with shells of twenty-two hundred 
feet per second velocity, and have the 
sights just touching the point of the chest, 
with cartridges of twenty-seven hundred 
feet per second velocity. 

Turn your back to the wind, don’t 
cough or sneeze, rattle your rifle or strike 
a rock with a piece of steel or speak above 
a whisper. 

Patience, steadiness of hand, alertness 
of mind, have turned failure to success in 
moose hunting as in other enterprises of 
life. 


CHAPTER VIII 


BACKWOODS SURGERY 

N O ONE going afield ever expects to 
meet with an accident, yet the ele¬ 
ment of danger is always present. What 
to do and how to do it when one en¬ 
counters an emergency must be planned 
beforehand. Neglect on the part of the 
sportsman to fortify himself with a first- 
aid kit is but little short of criminal negli¬ 
gence, and assuredly approaches the peak 
of folly. Have a chat with your family 
doctor before your next trip afield, equip 
yourself with the essentials that are to be 
used in the following chronicle of action, 
clip this article and carry it in the same 
wallet with your hunting license. If an 
accident should happen, keep cool, a stiff 
upper lip, grit your teeth and do as 
directed. 

The most common mishaps while hunt¬ 
ing may be classed as follows: gun-shot 
wounds, fractures, cuts, burns, sprains, 
blisters, and bruises. While space prevents 


44 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


a comprehensive treatment of the subject, 
the following notes will be found of 
assistance. 

Gun-Shot Wound —Clean it out. If nec¬ 
essary use the knife to clear away any 
foreign substance and to induce bleeding. 
Do not attempt to remove the bullet or 
shot pellets. Apply iodine after disinfect¬ 
ing the wound with a solution of chloro- 
zene or benetol. Dress wound with gauze, 
a pad of cotton, and then bandage. Use 
plenty of clear water. 

Fractures —Don’t attempt to set the 
bone. Do not move the injured part any 
more than possible. Make a splint to keep 
the limb rigid and resting easy. Strips of 
bark or a series of small sticks, over a 
pad of cotton or soft ferns or moss, after 
the wound is bandaged will do. Then 
wrap the injured member in splints. 

WELL TO KNOW THESE THINGS 

Cuts —Disinfect with chlorozene or ben¬ 
etol. Running water will do. When cleaned 
from dirt, swab with iodine, cover with 
adhesive plaster for small cut or a pad of 


BACKWOODS SURGERY 


45 


gauze and bandage. Try to stop the flow 
of blood temporarily by raising the in¬ 
jured part as high as possible above the 
heart. If the blood is dark red or purplish, 
a vein has been cut. If it is bright red an 
artery has been incised and the flow will 
come in jets. For vein cuts press upon the 
veins below the wound, put on compress 
and bind tightly enough to stop the bleed¬ 
ing. If an artery has been cut try to find 
it above the wound by pressing hard 
where you think it may pass close to a 
bone. Apply a tourniquet between the 
wound and the heart. Under it and di¬ 
rectly over the artery place a cartridge, 
piece of stick, or other hard substance. 
Tighten the bandage until the bleeding 
stops, and then release bandage every 
once in a while even before the bleeding 
stops. This is only an expedient, for a cut 
artery must be closed by tieing one or 
both ends. Use forceps or tweezers to get 
a hold of the artery and draw it out, then 
take a piece of strong thread, sterilize it 
ia boiling water, chlorozene, or benetol 
and loop it in a knot, slip this down over 


4 6 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


the forceps, around the artery and draw 
tight. A ruptured artery should be cut in 
two before operated. When the flow of 
blood is once stayed get to a doctor as 
soon as possible. Powdered alum, pressed 
hard into the wound (except an artery) 
will stop bleeding, so will any substance 
strong with tannin, such as powdered su¬ 
mac leaves, pulverized oak, or hemlock. 

Burns —Exclude air from the affected 
part at once, and use some greasy sub¬ 
stance, such as an ointment, flour and 
water made into a paste, or butter. Cut 
away any burned clothing or flesh. Paint 
with iodine and dress with baking powder, 
then cover with a gauze compress. 

Sprain —Rest and freedom from move¬ 
ment. Apply strips of adhesive plaster 
about two inches wide. Cold water appli- 
cations will help. 

Blister —Pick with needle or pin that 
has been sterilized over a flame. Apply 
cotton and fasten on with a strip of ad¬ 
hesive plaster. 

Bruises —Apply hot applications. A hot 
compress of gauze and tightly bandage. 


BACKWOODS SURGERY 


47 


Later apply water on towel as hot as you 
can stand it. Repeat until soreness and 
pain disappear. 

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU 

The kit which can be made up com¬ 
pactly and sealed air-tight should con¬ 
tain: roll of half-inch surgeons’ rubber 
plaster, one ounce absorbent cotton, 
three-inch roller bandage, three-inch cot¬ 
ton roller bandage, chlorozene tablets, 
iodine ampules, safety razor blade, sur¬ 
geons’ combined arterial forceps and 
needle holder, alum, silk thread, and pair 
of small scissors. 

Not a pleasant-looking layout, my 
friend, as we sit snugly at home, with 
slippered feet and jimmy pipe, but—when 
a fellow is down and out, through care¬ 
lessness or accident that is apt to happen 
to anyone—then, and only then will we 
appreciate the foresight that packed an 
emergency outfit away in the duffle bag. 

The open woods have many big mo¬ 
ments and thrills aplenty, but the real 
man-sized test of man comes when a pal 


4 8 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


that you love is stricken down and you 
and the little outfit stands between him 
and death. Roll up your sleeves, grit your 
teeth under a reassuring smile, and dig in. 


CHAPTER IX 


CAMP DOCTOR 


S TRANGE how many little aches and 
pains one may experience in the 
woods. No more than those at home, not 
as many perhaps, but we feel them more, 
mainly because we haven’t the bath-room 
medicine chest at hand or the corner drug¬ 
store near by. 

Simple ailments suggest simple reme¬ 
dies and if these are provided for before the 
trip afield many a twitch and twang may 
be saved. The most common aches and 
pains are listed below with suggestions 
how to overcome them. 

Constipation —Compound cathartic and 
plenty of water. 

Diarrhoea —Warm bandages over the 
stomach. Brown a little flour and mix 
with two teaspoonfuls of vinegar and one 
of salt, and drink. 

Cramps and Chills —Mix pepper and 
ginger in hot water, and drink. A hot 
stone makes a good foot-warmer. 


50 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


Fever —Qu i n i n e. 

Sore Fhroat —Gargle of benetol or 
chlorozene. 

Colds —Ginger tea and quinine. 

Foothache —Warm vinegar and salt. 
Hold in mouth or plug cavity with cotton 
mixed with pepper and ginger. 

Earache —Cotton sprinkled with pepper 
and moistened with oil or fat. Wash next 
morning with hot water. 

Sore Feet —Wash in warm water to 
which salt has been added. Soap the 
socks until the feet harden. 

Inflamed Eyes —Bind in hot tea-leaves. 

Nose Bleed —Soak cloth in cold water 
and apply to back of neck. 

Frostbite —Keep in the cold and rub 
affected parts with snow or ice. 

Snowblindness —Apply ice-cold cloths. 
Boil water, then get it chilled and rinse 
eyes. At night apply cold cream or salve. 

Insect in the Ear —Pour warm oil in ear. 
Strike a match and hold it near the ear. 

Poultices —Common soap and sugar 
mixed. 

Headache —Aspirin, five grains. 


CAMP DOCTOR 


51 


Ptomaine Poisoning —Intestinal anti¬ 
septic. 

Malaria —Two-grain quinine tablets be¬ 
fore going to sleep. 

Sunburn —Ordinary carbolized vase¬ 
line. 

Mosquito Bites —Ammonia is the best, 
or use lime water with two drops of car¬ 
bolic acid to the ounce. 

Insect and Spider Bites —Ammonia, 
then remove the sting if possible, then 
apply wet cloths of salted water. 

Poison Ivy or Oak —Wash with solution 
of three per cent boric acid, then apply 
zinc ointment. 

A first-aid kit for the camp can be 
made of the following: Aromatic spirits of 
ammonia, syrup of ginger, bismuth sub¬ 
nitrate tablets, calomel, soda-mint tablets, 
oil of cloves, corn plaster, chlorozene, 
benetol. 


CHAPTER X 


ON THE BLAZED TRAIL 

T HERE is a friendly attitude of the 
wilderness that seems to increase as 
the autumn sets in. The lure of a tramp 
through the forests irresistibly appeals to 
the outdoors man. Year after year the 
duffle bag is sorted over, new things added, 
some of the old discarded. A lesson that 
is to be learned through years of follow¬ 
ing the blazed trail, is that to go right 
is to go light. Back packing, if it's for a 
day, a week, or a month, can be made the 
most enjoyable of outdoor pastimes. Take 
a gun if you will, or do your shooting 
with a camera, there is no better sport, or 
none more exhilarating than along the 
paths and by-ways of mountain and val¬ 
ley far away from the city smoke and the 
lolly of civilization. In a word, it is the 
acme of scientific outdoor Jiving. 

First, consider the pack itself. There are 
many on the market. T he old army can¬ 
vas knapsack with leather straps is about 


ON THE BLAZED TRAIL 


53 


the best after the suspension point is 
made from the center in place of at the 
sides. Ten minutes’ time and ten cents’ 
worth of material will fix this. Comes now 
the problem of not what to put in the 
pack, but what to leave out. Don’t try to 
take the piano or the gas stove. The wood¬ 
land music is plentiful and gas connec¬ 
tions in the hills are few and far between. 
Think first of extra clothing, handker¬ 
chiefs, the big, red bandana kind, two 
pairs of woolen socks, light woolen under¬ 
wear, a comb, a shaving outfit, notebook 
and pencil and a stamped self-addressed 
envelope. The little housewife should have 
a place, also a collapsible mess kit of light¬ 
weight metal. Matches in a pry-up can 
and two non-drip candles. The first-aid 
kit can be fitted out from a small flat 
tobacco box, and in this goes a flat bottle 
of iodine, spirits of ammonia, adhesive 
tape, a few tablets of chlorozene and as¬ 
pirin, antiseptic gauze, safety pins, safety 
razor blade, a vial of tannic powder and a 
few cathartic pills. The box should be small 
enough to slip into one’s watch pocket. 


54 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


For footwear, either moccasins or the 
rubber-bottom boot with leather tops. A 
light waterproof cape will be worth carry¬ 
ing. Use a good-sized pocket-knife, heavy 
blade with rounded point for skinning. If 
you are to carry a belt gun, take one that 
will come up to all expectations in an 
emergency. 

REMEMBER THESE THINGS 

For bedding, two blankets, edges sewed 
on the style of a sleeping bag, with a cov¬ 
ering of waterproof shelter-tent duck on 
the under side is as good as any if used 
over a spread of dry leaves or hemlock 
boughs. The socks should be of heavy 
wool. Wash them every night. A small 
axe weighing not more than a pound or so 
will go handily on the belt. 

Food is a matter of one’s own selection. 
In most of the hikes the average person 
will take, he or she will not be far enough 
away from civilization to have any fear of 
starving, and in the game season, fresh 
meat will be secured as you go along, pro¬ 
vided, of course, a certain expertness has 






Diana studies the whys and wherefores. It is the duty of every experienced hunter to see that the novice in the 

party fully understands gun-handling. 








ON THE BLAZED TRAIL 


57 


been developed with the gun. For a five- 
day trip the following will form the basis 
of sustaining food: Three pounds of flour, 
one pound of cereal, eight ounces of rice, 
eight ounces of powdered milk, eight 
ounces of butter, two pounds of bacon, 
eight ounces of cheese, four ounces of salt, 
eight ounces of chocolate, eight ounces of 
tea, one pound of raisins, eight ounces of 
sugar, and eight ounces of chipped beef. 

A small repair kit consisting of a whet¬ 
stone, or better yet, strips of carborundum 
paper, copper wire, batchelor buttons, 
stout waxed thread, needles, large safety 
pins, a yard of buckskin thong, and a light 
awl should be taken. 

There’s a fascination in woods hiking 
that is peculiarly all its own. Freedom of 
thought, of action, of mind and body is 
reserved for he who ventures to the woods 
alone. The companionship of man is craved 
by the most of us, but there are times 
when even solitude is full of clattering 
noise, when every nerve is a jangle, when 
the mental cobwebs festoon the brain, 
then it is that there comes a longing to be 


58 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


away, and far away, from all that’s com¬ 
monplace in the daily whir of city life, 
then it is that a fellow will enjoy to the 
uttermost a cruise through the soft- 
carpeted valleys for a tramp over the 
blazed trail. 


CHAPTER XI 


WILDERNESS RATIONS 

I T’S no easy matter to suggest what one 
should eat on his wilderness jaunt, 
tastes are so varied and game so uncertain. 
Times there are when any old thing has a 
piquant relish at the end of a fatiguing 
day. Proper cooking is essential. In this 
lies the real gastronomic pleasure of wil¬ 
derness rations. Follows then a cooking 
table and recipes that will delight the 
palate of the epicurean. 

Time for baking eats: venison, rare, 
ten minutes; shore birds, fifteen to twenty 
minutes; wild duck, forty minutes; quail 
and pheasant about the same time, unless 
you like it as rare as a friend of mine; in 
that case, singe off the feathers and go to 
it. For broiling: venison chops and steaks, 
ten minutes; short birds, fifteen minutes; 
duck, according to size, twenty-five min¬ 
utes; bass, and fish over two pounds, 
twenty minutes; trout, ten minutes; rab¬ 
bit, twenty to thirty minutes. Boiling: 


6o 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


venison, per pound, fifteen minutes; duck 
and small birds, forty-five minutes. 

To roast venison: wipe meat with 
damp cloth, sprinkle with salt and pepper 
and place in baking-pan, dredging meat 
and bottom of pan with flour. Place in 
oven over a medium flame and when flour 
in pan is browned, baste with the fat in 
the pan, adding water, if necessary. Baste 
every fifteen minutes. The time required 
is about two hours. Venison steak should 
be cooked quickly over an extremely hot 
fire. Mix flour, salt and pepper, and place 
on a piece of brown paper. Roll this mix¬ 
ture into both sides of the steak with an 
empty bottle or the hands. Roll the mix¬ 
ture in well, fry quickly until brown on 
both sides. When it is ready, loosen your 
belt one notch. 

Broiled Venison Steak: Use a slice cut 
from the rump, round or sirloin, two 
inches thick. Wipe meat, place on hot 
broiler and broil over a clear fire from five 
to ten minutes, turning every ten seconds. 
Serve hot, spread with butter, and season 
with salt and pepper. 


WILDERNESS RATIONS 


61 

Beer Liver: Treat this like the steak, 
and serve on slices of bacon, crisped and 
brown. 

Beer Heart: The heart should be stuffed 
and roasted and served with something 
tart, if possible. Make a stuffing of 
toasted bread moistened with salt water, 
adding spice and pepper and chopped 
bacon. 

Roast Wild Goose: Rub a carefully 
dressed goose inside and out with salt, 
pepper, and spice if you have it and let 
stand all night. Mix three cups of stale 
bread crumbs, half a cup stoned raisins. 
Sprinkle goose with salt and pepper and 
lay several strips of fat salt pork or bacon 
on breast. Bake in medium oven for two 
hours, basting often with the fat in the 
pan. 

Roast Wild Buck: Let it lie in salt 
water for an hour or so after picking, then 
cook the same as goose. 

Roast Canvasback: The heads of wild 
duck are usually left on when cooked. 
Make a slit in the front of the wish-bone. 
Clean the bird, remove entrails, crop and 


62 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


windpipe, draw the head through the neck 
opening. Truss, sprinkle with salt and 
pepper inside and out. Bake in a very hot 
oven, basting while cooking. 

Quail on Toast: Pluck the bird, and cut 
open down the back, clean very carefully, 
steam until tender, then smother with 
plenty of butter, salt, and pepper before 
steaming. When slightly brown, take up 
on hot toast. Rabbit dishes are excellent 
if properly prepared, cooked, and served. 
When dressing rabbit be careful to remove 
every part that might add to its strong 
flavor. Parboiling and changing the water 
three or four times will take away almost 
all the strong game taste. 

Rabbit Pie: Simmer meat with onions, 
salt, and pepper until tender. It is some¬ 
times an improvement to brown the meat 
first and serve with hot biscuits on top. 

Broiled Rabbit: Soak over night in cold 
water with pinch of salt added. Rub flour, 
butter, and salt over meat and broil by 
turning all the time over a steady fire. 

Roasted Rabbit: Wipe very clean. Rub 
flour, butter, salt, and pepper into the 


WILDERNESS RATIONS 


63 


flesh, tie pieces of pork or bacon over the 
rabbit or fasten in some way so they will 
stay in place. Cover the rabbit with paper 
to keep from drying out. Take out and 
test so as not to overdo. 


CHAPTER XII 


TRAPPING 



HERE’S one uncertain thing about 


A hunting—the weather. Many a man 
has planned for months, tied up a consid¬ 
erable sum of money in his outfit, and at 
no inconsiderable expense got himself to 
the big-game destination, only to find a 
siege of untoward climatic conditions that 
makes hunting impossible. The alterna¬ 
tive of munching the cud of dissatisfaction 
by the cabin fire is offered in the fact that 
a knowledge of trapping may turn an 
otherwise ruined vacation into one of fun 
and profit. 

The matter of traps and other para¬ 
phernalia for the game is best left to the 
individual choice guided by local condi¬ 
tions of the fur to be taken. Traps are im¬ 
portant, but the lure to be used in their 
connection is equally so. Scent alone or 
traps alone is insufficient. He who would 
run a trap line must know something of 
the habits of game, and this with ajudi- 


TRAPPING 


65 


cious use of snare, bait, and lure will do 
the trick. Be careful in locating and mak¬ 
ing the sets. Do not use too much scent, 
a few drops is aplenty and these near the 
trap. Commercial scents are on the mar¬ 
ket in great variety at prices that range 
up to a dollar a bottle. The home-made 
article will do as well, in some cases bet¬ 
ter. For those who prefer to make their 
own, the following notes will be of interest: 

For wolf: pint of oil, one-half fish, one- 
half musk glands, and a little oil of rho¬ 
dium (muskrat scent glands have the 
most musk in the spring). Fox: to half a 
pint of lard, add musk glands and scent 
bag of skunk. If possible in place of lard 
use oil made from the fat of skunk or 
coon. (Note—If you have any value for 
your domestic relations do not mix this 
concoction in the wife’s kitchen). For those 
of you who plan to play at the trapping 
game for the first time, borrow a gas mask 
when fussing with this stuff'. Another sug¬ 
gestion, tip off the Board of Health that 
nothing serious has happened in your 
home. Coon , mink , etc.: fish oil is best. 



66 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


Bottle up some small fish and place in the 
sun for an hour or so each day, until an oil 
forms. Pour off the oil. The process takes 
several days (keep the gas mask handy). 
Other scents used by trappers are beaver 
castor, made from the glands and anise 
oil. 

Trapping with bait is more interesting 
from the olfactory point of view, and is 
conceded to be just as successful. For 
marten , wildcat , weasel , fox , skunk , opos- 
sum , coon , and mink , use fresh and bloody 
tidbits of rabbit, fowl, or fresh meat. 

The proper manner of setting the traps 
is important. Study the animal’s haunts 
and set for him on a knoll, under vines, at 
a hollow stump, tree, or hole. In the 
winter months experienced trappers pre¬ 
fer to use scent. One way of attracting 
animals to the trap is to take a small 
sponge, run a string through it, pour on 
the scent, then fasten sponge to the hol¬ 
low of the shoe under the instep. Ordi¬ 
narily most animals will follow this scent 
to the traps. 

Set your beaver and otter traps at the 


TRAPPING 


67 


foot of their slides just under the water. 
If you use poison for wolves or fox make a 
meat ball and put the poison in the center. 
Mink are usually found near swamps, 
along streams, and their waterways. 
Skunk in open fields near small shrub¬ 
bery, and in winter on the high ground. 
Coons you will find in the dense woods. 
Land animals are the first to get prime in 
the late fall and early winter, water ani¬ 
mals the last. Keep the skins loose and 
straight, don’t roll them up. Never apply 
heat in drying skins. Remove all fat from 
the skins and always take out the bones. 
Never handle your traps with bare hands, 
clean and smoke traps and oil them to 
prevent rust. It is well to mark your 
traps with a file, and fasten them so they 
can’t get away. 

With the exception of coon, small fur 
bearers should be skinned whole, but cut¬ 
ting around both hind legs below the 
knee and straight across and around vent. 
The pelt is then removed, mainly by peel¬ 
ing the hide from the legs with thumb 
and fingers. The tail should be split 


68 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


down two inches and the bone pulled out. 
The hide is then drawn down until fore¬ 
legs are reached, where the knife is used 
to cut around the feet. More pulling and 
the pelt is worked down to the ears and 
then the eyes. Cut close to the skull so ear 
and eye holes will be as small as possible. 
When the nose is reached this should be 
cut off, leaving the gristle end of nose on 
hide. The pelt will now be flesh side out 
and should be placed on a stretcher made 
the same shape as the hide. Tails of 
opossum and muskrat should be cut off. 

Trapping as a pastime or a business 
really requires study and much experi¬ 
ence. In this as in all branches of outdoor 
life there are many elements that enter 
for good sportsmanship; study the game 
laws, don’t clean out the entire family, 
and remember some one before you left 
these for you. Think of the good fellows 
to come of another day. 




























Whirr ! Bang ! ! The drama of the uplands, where your reputation as a field shot is made 

marred in two seconds. 







CHAPTER XIII 


SNOW-SHOEING 

T ROUBLE was that I broke a snow- 
shoe/’ he said. “Couldn’t get along 
with one, so I took ’em both off and 
thought I could wallow back to camp 
alone, although the snow was waist-deep 
in some places. I was soon exhausted and 
when I fell sprawling in a drift I thought I 
would rest for a few minutes before 
struggling on. That was very nearly a 
fatal mistake. My memory is blank from 
that moment until a golden warm feeling 
in my throat and stomach caused me to 
open my eyes to the group of my com¬ 
panions bending over me in the snow.” 
Above quoted from the diary of a trip 
that nearly resulted in disaster for one of 
our party. A single buckskin thong, say a 
yard long, carried tied to the belt as a 
precaution, would have gotten this young 
man out of a serious difficulty. 

Snow-shoeing is an art, and used in 
connection with hunting, needs as much 


72 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


attention and thought as the rifle or any 
other part of the equipment. A piece of 
buckskin is a trivial thing. In trivial 
things there is the study of life and its 
relation to death. And there are few 
greater studies. With the various types of 
snow-shoes we have but a word. 

Get the sort that fit you best and that 
are best adapted to the work in mind. A 
snow-shoe is a bowed frame with two 
cross-bars, the ends of the bow being 
riveted together and forming the tail. 
The large spaces are meshed with strings 
of gut, usually called caribou, but gener¬ 
ally coming from the hide of a cow. A 
coarse mesh is more suitable for general 
all-around purposes than the finer web¬ 
bing. The standard size shoe for a man 
is forty-eight inches long and fourteen 
wide; for a woman, four inches shorter 
and two inches narrower. Many snow- 
shoes—in fact, most of them, have a slight 
uptilt at the toe. This is an advantage, 
especially when walking on a crust. A 
tilted toe will also help you to get over 
twigs and other obstructions that have 


SNOW-SHOEING 


73 


a habit of tripping. The tilt varies 
from one-half an inch to three or four 
inches. 

For the hunter or lor the man who 
travels extensively in wooded areas, the 
“bear paw” snow-shoe, so named because 
ol its resemblance in shape to a bear’s 
paw, can be used to greater advantage 
than the long-tailed shoe, inasmuch as 
the bear paw enables one to shift around 
easily in brush or shrubbery. Snow-shoe¬ 
ing looks easy, and is easy. To the be¬ 
ginner it may be a little tiring. Take it 
easy at first. For the average person the 
long-tailed shoe is about the best, as it will 
give a better balance unless you trip, and 
then you will have a quick understanding 
of the Einstein theory or something. 

Ordinary walking and snowshoe walk¬ 
ing are fundamentally the same. When on 
snowshoes raise the heel high, so that 
when the rear snowshoe is about to be 
brought forward, the bottom of the rear 
foot is practically vertical. During the 
greater part of the forward stride the heel 
is above the stringing and even when the 


74 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


shoe is planted forward and the heel sinks 
down upon the stringing too much weight 
must not be placed upon the heel or the 
tail of the shoe will sink deep in the snow. 
In bringing the rear foot forward, don’t 
keep the feet too far apart or too closely 
together. The one uses up a lot of energy 
and the other barks the shins. The rear 
shoe should come up with a forward and 
outward movement just enough to clear 
the other ankle. When both snowshoes 
are on the snow, the rear narrow part of 
the forward shoe and the wide front part 
of the rear shoe should fit close to each 
other, but not quite touch. The correct 
snow-shoeing stride gives this result. 

When climbing a hill or steep bank on 
snow-shoes allow the body to incline for¬ 
ward, lift the heels from the shoes, and let 
the toes project through the openings be¬ 
tween the cross-bars and the webbing. 
The projecting toes dig into the snow and 
act as an anchor. In going downhill keep 
the body upright and inclined slightly 
backward enough to maintain the balance. 
Sliding downhill, unless the snow is soft 


SNOW-SHOEING 


75 


will injure the webbing, and maybe—but 
any way experientia docet. 

Snow-shoes can be ruined in one season 
or made to last for several. Do not stand 
suspended between rocks or fallen trees 
on your shoes, do not jump with them. 
It’s good fun, but hard on the pocket- 
book and medical kit. Do not place the 
shoes too near a stove or too close to fire, 
as heat will cause the leather to deterio¬ 
rate. Give them a coat of the best varnish 
at least once a year, but see that they are 
thoroughly dry before applying the var¬ 
nish. If the stringing gets too dry, apply 
a coat of neat’s-foot oil. When you put 
them away for the summer, hang them 
by wires from the rafters so that the rats 
can’t get at them, or from the walls of 
your den, where they will dry and also 
act as an ornament. 

There is hardly a better sport than 
snow-shoeing. It imparts to the skin a 
glow of perfect health, and gives the en¬ 
tire body internally and externally a purg¬ 
ing of clean, pure air; develops strength 
and endurance that will surprise you. A 



76 THE AMERICAN HUNTER 

brisk jaunt over the white spaces will 
make you sleep sounder, eat better, and 
be more content with the world at large. 






PLENTY OF BEAD 

Distances over water are deceptive and seldom over-estimated. 




CHAPTER XIV 


LOST IN THE WILDERNESS 

R ecall the case of the Canadian 
doctor who was lost for two weeks, 
and nearly starved to death for lack of a 
match; yet he shot a partridge, was en¬ 
tirely well, had his rifle and plenty of 
cartridges. There’s a lesson here! Do not 
scoff at the idea of getting lost. Ask any 
experienced outdoorsman and he will tell 
you a tale of losing his way at one time or 
another. Hardly a season passes but grim 
Nature takes its toll of one or more who 
succumb to the imaginary terrors of los¬ 
ing his way in the woods. Imagination 
plays a great part. The fear of being lost 
is largely a mental condition. Some men 
thrash ahead—work themselves into a 
frenzy and delirium of fear—become ex¬ 
hausted and lay down to die. Unless one 
is out of ammunition or matches, and he 
shouldn’t be, or has the misfortune to 
break a leg, or be seriously wounded, 
there’s nothing to fear about getting lost. 


8o 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


Forget your calender, days mean nothing 
if you are well and even hungry, one place 
is as good as another, and with a fellow’s 
wits about him, he’ll come out some¬ 
where, and that place is as good as any 
other. The one sterling, life or death 
injunction is to keep cool, and don’t 
worry. Nothing will harm you. The odd 
and endless noises that you hear at night 
in the lonely woods are mostly those 
from curious little animals who are more 
frightened than you. 

As soon as you realize that you are lost, 
sit down, load up the jimmy pipe, shoot 
out the smoke, and between puff’s, sing or 
whistle to yourself, or better yet, do a little 
monologue. Then if it’s late in the after¬ 
noon gather up enough wood for the night 
fire, make a lean-to of browse, and a bed 
of hemlock or dry leaves. Keep the fire 
going—and the pipe. Sleep will come 
sooner or later—then sunrise, and with 
the break of day the thoughts are clearer 
than the day before. Try to mentally re¬ 
trace your steps, look about you to find 
something that looks familiar, climb to 


LOST IN THE WILDERNESS 


81 


the top of a knoll, or shin up a high tree 
to get your bearings. If still out of luck, 
take up a pitch knot, fasten it to the tree 
top and light it. The smoke may attract 
one of your companions. If the thing looks 
hopeless and you can’t make head or tail 
out of the direction, then make up your 
mind that you have some communing 
with nature; gather up plenty of wood 
and set the lean-to for a permanent camp. 
Better this, of course, if you are near a 
spring or where water will do for drinking. 
There’s one thing in being lost and frantic, 
and another in being lost and knowing it 
and caring not. 

For the lack of the match, the Cana¬ 
dian doctor nearly starved to death, 
though he had a rifle and shells. Should 
you be caught likewise remember this 
little kink: Scrape a handful of lint from 
your coat or shirt, then And a few dry 
leaves and twigs, set these as if to build 
a miniature fire, put the lint underneath, 
then extract the bullet from the shell, 
sprinkle the powder over the lint, drawing 
a little off to one side in a little path; 


82 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


next put the muzzle of the gun near this 
powder path, remove the bullet from an¬ 
other shell, slip this into the gun and pull 
the trigger. As the fire burns, add twigs 
and small sticks until the blaze is right; 
undress the partridge, broil it, and what 
on earth could any man want better than 
this ? 

Before going into the woods, provide 
yourself with the sort of map that is sup¬ 
plied for the asking and a few pennies by 
the Director of Geographical Survey, 
Washington, D. C. This map shows the 
mountains, swamps, streams, gullies, roads 
and trails, and perfectly indicates the lay 
of the ground. With such a map it is 
difficult to go anywhere that you can’t 
get out. And if you find such a place, 
stay out! 

Some outdoors men travel by the sun, 
others by the compass, and some by the 
trees. The latter is simplest, but not al¬ 
ways so certain. 

Blaze your way as you go, and follow 
the blaze for the homeward journey. 
Simple, isn’t it? Just as simple as getting 


LOST IN THE WILDERNESS 


83 

lost. There are some of nature’s signs 
that can be followed. Fallen trees usually 
lie in the direction of the prevailing wind, 
the top branches of trees have a tendency 
to lean in the direction of the opposite 
wind and the bark looks darker in an 
even light when one looks down the wind 
than in the up-wind direction. Fine dis¬ 
tinction this, and it may work if you can 
remember it. The writer tried to twice 
and made two guesses, and was wrong both 
times. 

Birds fly south in the fall and north in 
the spring, watch for those flying high. 
Geese are the truest guides of the sky. 
The tendency when lost is to walk in a 
circle, avoid this by looking at some dis¬ 
tant object straight ahead, select an ob¬ 
ject, walk to it and repeat. At least this 
scheme will take you from where you were 
and keep you going straight ahead. Don’t 
question your compass. It’s always right. 
Few men know how to read a compass, 
and all men, when lost, will declare the 
durn thing is wrong anyway. Mark an 
“N” on the case and scratch in “ ‘N’ 


8 4 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


means north.” Strange how we will forget 
this. Find a running stream if you can 
and follow it; there will be civilization 
along its course. The widest part of a 
river is usually the shallowest, the inside 
of a bend usually is deep. Fords in swift 
streams are usually found just above the 
rifts. The top branch of a high hemlock or 
pine points toward the rising sun, a little 
south of east. 

Never go in the woods without matches 
and an emergency ration, enough for a 
day or two days’ food. Parched corn, 
finely ground, mixed with raisins, is sus¬ 
taining. Sense of direction is a gift, a 
talent, and the most important thing that 
an outdoors man can possess. Recall the 
points mentioned before your next trip, 
and as soon as you are lost you will 
promptly forget them; but this do re¬ 
member and the rest won’t matter— 
Keep Cool. 


CHAPTER XV 

i 

THE SHOTGUN 

T HERE’S a simple answer to the 
question eternal, “What is the best 
all-around shotgun?” It doesn’t exist. 
Sportsmen are a clan of individuals. What 
suits one would never quite suit another, 
and for precisely the same reason! 

This much is certain. Any good grade 
of standard American make will fulfill 
the fondest wishes of the most meticulous 
hunter, if he selects the gun for a major 
purpose of use and has it fit him properly. 

Many believe that the twenty gauge is 
better than the twelve gauge. There are 
as many who believe infallibly in the 
twelve. The writer has several of both. 
The twenty is the sportier arm for upland 
work and requires better holding. The 
twelve for ducks is standard and more 
satisfactory. Where the owner is limited 
to one gun, the twelve should be the 
choice, and this in a double rather than 
pump or automatic. There is no economy 


86 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


in a cheap gun, it will shoot loose, the 
triggers crawl and the locks stick. The 
better grade, aside from genuine long- 
lived service, gives the owner that in¬ 
tangible sense of pride in possessing 
something worth while. Standard grades 
today sell for about fifty dollars. 

Select a double weighing about seven 
and one-quarter pounds, use the right 
barrel for field and the left for duck shoot¬ 
ing and let this be a twelve gauge. The 
twenty is not a general-purpose gun. For 
upland work, the right barrel should be 
improved cylinder bore about sixty per 
cent open for ducks; the left barrel should 
be about eighty per cent choke, cham¬ 
bered for a three-inch case. A twenty 
should weigh five and three-quarters to 
six pounds; right barrel one-half choke 
and full in left. A sixteen should weigh 
six to six and one-quarter pounds; right 
barrel improved cylinder and left three- 
quarters choke. The popularity of the six¬ 
teen seems to be on the wane. Length of 
barrels, twenty-six to twenty-eight inches. 

The fit of the gun is important. The 













SNAP! GOES THE FORE-END. 

I’ll stop the first grouse that gets up”, declares Milady 




THE SHOTGUN 89 

correct drop in the stock will determine 
the shooting satisfaction of the arm. 
“Drop” means the distance from the line 
to the top of the barrel to certain points 
on top of the stock, the “Camt” is the 
rounded part of the stock just back of the. 
right hand and the “heel” is the upper 
part of the butt plate. A drop of two and 
one-half to two and three-quarter inches 
at the heel is about right for the average 
person. For the benfit of those who care 
to be more exact in securing a gun that 
has a perfect fit, the following is apended. 
Make a copy of it, send to your sport¬ 
ing goods dealer or any shooting expert 
and he will gladly give you exact dimen¬ 
sions: Height, weight, neck measurement, 
width of shoulders, arms hanging, build 
weather heavy, medium, . or slender; 
face and chest: full, medium, thin or flat, 
cheek-bone prominent or ordinary; width 
between center of pupils of eyes looking 
straight ahead to hollow of shoulder 
when arm is held at right-angle position 
distance from first joint of trigger finger 
to inside elbow joint when forearm is held 


9 ° 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


to form a right angle with upper arm and 
trigger finger extended. 

Wing shooting is a science that is mas¬ 
tered only through practice, and plenty 
of it. A cardinal point to remember is, 
to draw your aim well ahead of the bird— 
keep the gun moving until the trigger is 

While rabbit shooting is classed as an 
upland pastime, the better brand of sports¬ 
manship does not use a shotgun; try a 
twenty-two caliber rifle and then a re¬ 
volver. Anyway this is a game that will 
loosen up some squeaky vocabulary. 

The partridge or grouse offers a sportin’ 
chance, and the best way to get these 
masters of elusiveness is to shoot and 
keep shooting. (Take along plenty of 
shells.) Swing along the line of flight (if 
you can) and let go! Maybe you got him 
and maybe—. Snap shooting on grouse 
is not only permissible but highly advis¬ 
able if you can do it. 

Bob White, in the open field, will sail 
away on an even keel. Aim high, and be¬ 
fore you let go aim a little higher. Swing 



THE SHOTGUN 


9i 


the gun with ease and certainty. Most of 
the misses are due to low shooting and 
jumpy nerves. 

Snipe shooting on warm, sunny days 
offers splendid sport. Do not follow their 
movements by the line of aim. Point 
under and snap ahead. Duck shooting 
gives one full play for his entire repertoir 
of shots. Plenty of shells and plenty of 
birds on which to exercise them will prove 
to be the best teacher. 

To be a good wing shot, you must be a 
good judge of distance. The modern 
school urges binocular shooting; that is, 
with both eyes open. If you are an old- 
time shot and use only one optic, do not 
change. It will be no easy task. If change 
you must, do it in this way: Close your 
left eye, line up your sights; then open 
the eye until you break yourself of hunt¬ 
ing for the proper sight. 

Take your time in shooting. Let the 
bird get in steady flight and then pull the 
trigger. To repeat, pull the trigger, don’t 
jerk it. 

For upland and marsh loads, the fol- 


92 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


lowing are standard and will prove emi¬ 
nently satisfactory: 




DUPONT 

(Bulk) SMOKELESS 

Kind of Game 

12- 

Gauge 

Drams 

Oz. 

Shot 

16- 

Gauge 

Drams 

Oz. 

Shot 

20- 

Gauge 

ramsD 

Oz. 

Shot 

Shot 

Sizes 

All Gauges 

Turkey 

Geese 

3)4 

ix 

2% 

1 

2)4 

Vs 

*2 & 4 

Brant 

Large Ducks 

3 X 

1 X 

2 X 

1 

2)4 

Vs 

4 in flight 

6 over decoy 

Medium Ducks 
Grouse 

PrairieChicken 

3)4 

1H 

2 X 

1 

2)4 

Vs 

6 

Squirrels 

Rabbits 

3 

1 or 

IX 

2)4 

1 

2X 

Vs 

6 

Small Ducks \ 
Pheasants ' 

Pigeons ( 

Doves / 

3)4 

1)4 

2)4 

1 

2)4 

Vs 

7)4 

Quail 'j 

Snipe ‘ 

Woodcock 1 

Shore Birds J 

3 

1 

or 

1)4 

2)4 

1 

2X 

Vs 

8 

Reed & Rail 
Birds 

3 

l 

2)4 

1 

2)4 

Vs 

10 

Trapshooting 

3 

m 

2)4 

1 

2)4 

Vs 

7)4 


BALLISTITE (Dense) SMOKELESS 

If BALLISTITE ( dense^ Powder is desired, order by grains. 
A comparison follows of bulk and dense loads: 


DRAMS GRAINS 

3)4 equivalent to 28 

3)4 “ “ 26 

3 “ “ 24 

2M “ “ 22 


DRAMS 

2)4 equivalent to 
2)4 

O a a 

m 


*In 12-Gauge loads only use No. 2 shot. 


GRAINS 

20 

18 

16 

14 
















































































CHAPTER XVI 


THE RIFLE 

T O the rifle there clings more memo¬ 
ries and more real traditions than any 
other of the sportive arms. In selecting 
your rifle do so with the idea in mind that 
a new friend is entering your life, and with 
the proper care, a friend it will be all 
through life. 

There are innumerable rifles on the 
market, all sorts of calibers and all sorts 
of locks, stocks, and barrels. You should 
be interested in the one and make the 
selection for the kind of game you have in 
mind. There is no such thing as an all 
purposes rifle, a gun that with equal 
facility will kill squirrel or mountain goat. 
The largest and most wicked piece of 
animal ferocity that one will come across 
on the American continent is the grizzly. 
But the average hunter is not after 
grizzly—these lines are written for the 
average hunter and the game he is after, 
which may range from black bear to 


94 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


moose and to deer. For this, the matter 
of selecting a rifle is a very simple thing. 

The choice will be between a bolt or 
lever action; the caliber can be set at 
thirty. If the preference is for the bolt 
type, there is no better gun made any¬ 
where than our own Government Spring- 
held using the thirty ’06. Most hunters 
have this rifle made into a sporter, with 
special windage and elevation rear sights 
and an ivory or gold sight in front. From 
exhaustive tests on the national and in¬ 
ternational rifle ranges, the Springfield 
has proven its accuracy beyond all ques¬ 
tion. The variety of loads adapted to the 
Springfield is such that it can be used 
for the smallest as well as the largest 
game on the continent. The matter of 
loads applies also to other commercial 
made rifles with the lever action. The 
take-down types of rifle is preferable to 
the rigid frame. The round barrel is bet¬ 
ter than the octagon. A pistol grip is de¬ 
sirable but this should be checkered. The 
repeating rifle has supplanted the old single 
shot. Rifle barrels should be twenty-six 


THE RIFLE 


95 


or twenty-eight inches long. The shorter 
they are, the shorter the sight base, mak¬ 
ing long shots more difficult. Any rifle 
worth while must have the safety devices 
so that they are really safe. 

From a scientific standpoint the peep 
sight is best for the rear. Large apertures 
are better than small ones. Ivory bead or 
gold is best for the front. The farther 

O 

apart the sights are, the better for quick, 
accurate shooting. 

A word about aiming. For shooting 
heads off birds or snakes at short range, 
we are apt to shoot under, as the bullet 
has not had time to rise up into the line 
of sight before reaching the mark. Either 
sight your rifle higher or hold slightly 
over the mark, perhaps an inch or even 
two inches. For deer within seventy-five 
to one hundred yards, when the rifle is 
sighted at two hundred yards, aim dead 
on. Shooting up and down hill at long 
ranges presents its own problem due to 
the principle known as rigidity of the 
trajectory. The trajectory is said to be 
rigid in that the deflection of the bullet, 


9 6 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


however the rifle may be pointed, is al¬ 
ways straight down, as this is the direc¬ 
tion in which the pull of gravity acts. 
Assuming the range to be such that the 
bullet is one second in flight, if you fire 
horizontally the bullet will have dropped 
sixteen feet below the line of departure. 
If, however, you have fired upward at an 
angle of forty-five degrees, the bullet, in 
place of falling at right angles to the line 
of flight, falls at an angle of forty-five 
degrees to it. Therefore, in place of being 
sixteen feet away from the line of sight, 
the bullet is about half that distance and 
the rifle apparently carrying up far better. 
The same is true of shooting down hill, 
and the true measure of the drop of the 
bullet is a range equal to the length of a 
straight line drawn horizontally from the 
muzzle of the rifle to a point either exactly 
over or exactly under your objective. 
Remember this when making long shots 
up or down hill. 

If your rifle shoots high or low, make 
adjustment on the rear sight. If to the 
left, move the rear sight to the right and 


THE RIFLE 


97 


vice versa. The power of a cartridge is a 
multiple of the weight of the bullet and 
its velocity. Follow this simple rule: 
Square the given velocity and multiply by 
the weight of the bullet in one hundred 
grains and fractions thereof. For instance, 
if the bullet weighs two hundred and fifty 
grains, multiply by 2.5. Divide the result 
by 4508 and the quotient will be the 
energy. 

The trigger pull on a game rifle should 
be smooth and no more creep than is 
necessary to release the slot. Shooting 
position is important. The target crank, 
of course, favors the prone or “sprawl 
belly. This is good enough for the pur¬ 
pose, but the game shot at moves quick, 
so aim quick and let go quick. The off¬ 
hand is the position to develop. The knee 
rest is important. Sitting position when 
using a telescope or waiting for game to 
approach will be found almost as steady 
as a machine rest. It’s better than prone, 
more comfortable and easier to learn. 
When crawling on the ground to keep from 
view of game, there are times when the 


98 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


prone position has its place. It’s not a 
sporty position, and, after all, what counts 
most, a sure-thing gamble where game 
has no chance or a sportsman’s game? 

Riflemen of note seem to agree on the 
following as the up-to-date and most 
effective arms for the game mentioned: 

Moose, Grizzly, Kodiak Bear: 

405 Winchester 1895 
35 Winchester 1895 
30-06 Government 220-grain bullet, 
Springfield, Winchester 

Elk, Caribou, Mule Deer, Goat 
35 Winchester 

30.06 Gov. (180-gr.), Springfield, 
Winchester 

White-Tail Deer, Black Bear: 

35 Remington 

30.06 Gov. (150-gr.), Springfield, 
Winchester 
250-300 Savage 
303 Savage 

30-30 Savage, Winchester 


THE RIFLE 


99 


Coyotes: 

25-35 Winchester, Savage or Rem¬ 
ington 

30-30 Winchester, Savage or Rem¬ 
ington 

Fox, Woodchuck: 

250-300 Savage 

2.5-35 Savage, Winchester or Rem¬ 
ington 

Other small game; 

22 W. R. R., Winchester, Stevens, 
Remington, Savage 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE SIDE ARM 

M ANY authorities state that a side 
arm, either pistol or revolver, is an 
unnecessary encumbrance to the hunter. 
Others advocate the use of a 22-caliber, 
and still others argue for the heavier 45 
caliber. As in everything else pertaining 
to the outdoor game, one's opinion is 
about as good as another. The writer has 
some very definite ideas about the side 
arm and has no hesitancy in advancing 
them at this time. Perhaps it would be as 
well to state that the opinions arrived at 
are the result of some twenty odd years 
following the unblazed and blazed trail 
and actual experience with possibly every 
American revolver in every caliber. The 
word pistol is excluded, as in these latter 
days it applies to an automatic, and for 
such I have no tolerance, no matter in 
what shape they appear or for what 
purpose made. 

The 22, for play around, shooting tin 


THE SIDE ARM 


IOI 


cans or otherwise mussing up the sanctity 
of the woods, just in order to make every 
day a Fourth of July, may be all right. 
For the outdoorsman it is better left at 
home. It’s small enough for a few things 
and too small for many things. The 45 
is too big and too heavy; both are accu¬ 
rate enough, but for genuine pleasure in 
shooting and for an all-around purpose, for 
every purpose, there is no hand-gun in 
my estimation equal to the 38 Special. 
Fit this with target sights, the kind that 
are not fragile, give it a seven and one- 
half-inch barrel, checked trigger and 
grip, and side-arm and satisfaction are 
coming to the man who owns one. 

Whatever you do, let alone the cheap 
nickel-plated guns that grace the windows 
of a pawn-shop. Stay away from the short 
barrel. If it’s a side arm that you must 
have, get the best and take care of it. 

The old single action frontier model 
was a great favorite and still is in the 
West. This in a 32-20 caliber on a 38 
frame and is ideal for horseback. A safe 
gun to handle, quick enough for anyone, 


102 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


the 32-20 is a sweet shell to fire. Mind 
you, the advocating of these smaller 
calibers is not done with the view to 
tackling a grizzly. When one wants to 
roll up his sleeves and go right in, armed 
only with a revolver or pistol, with a bear 
as the target—of course, that’s the in¬ 
dividual’s privilege. For the average man, 
however, there are easier ways of suicide. 

The 38 Special has a muzzle velocity 
of 857.6 feet and foot pound energy of 
258. It will penetrate seven inches of 
white pine and is capable of putting all 
the shots in a three inch circle at fifty 
yards. From a glance this seems to have 
all the penetration and shocking power 
that one would care to have encompassed 
in a piece of metal hanging on one’s belt. 
The front sight on a game gun should be 
either ivory or a gold bead. Be sure that 
the grip is not too large for the hand; if it 
is, the trigger finger will be more or less 
extended and the tendency will be to pull 
sidewise. Select your gun with a blued 
finish and wooden handles. Rubber grips 
will become smooth with wear and slip- 







Steady! In an instant the echo will te rolling through the woods. What will become of the brown blur i 

the thicket ahead? 









CARE OF THE GUN 


105 


pery when the hand perspires. The trig¬ 
ger pull should be smooth and positive 
and have the smallest possible travel, as 
the smaller the travel, the more rapid its 
action and the quicker the discharge. 
This feature is lacking in the frontier 
model. The barrel should not be less than 
seven and one-half inches. The trigger is 
best at about three pounds. Do not jerk 
the trigger, ease it off* with a gentle 
squeeze. Have your sights set to aim on 
the object, not below it as in target 
shooting. 

Accuracy in revolver shooting comes 
only as a result of practice. Burn up 
plenty of ammunition before you start 
on your hunting trip—that is, if you ex¬ 
pect to knock off the head of a grouse or a 
pheasant. Do not have your sights too 
fine. Use only the ammunition that your 
gun is chambered for. With adjustable 
sights, sight correction is a very simple 
matter. To correct the rear sight, move it 
in the same direction as you would the 
shots on the target—to correct them, or 
move the front sight in the opposite 


io 6 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


direction. Always carry a loaded revolver 
with the hammer resting on an empty 
chamber or between two cartridges. Splen¬ 
did practice can be had on an off day in 
camp by using a block of wood drifting 
down the current as a target, or tie a can 
to a string, suspend it from the limb of a 
tree and swing it like a pendulum. 

The holster for your gun should be 
selected with care. Do not leave your gun 
in the holster during the off season. It 
will rust. The holster without a flap is 
the best—this is usually styled the Mexi¬ 
can type. The gun should fit without 
being too loose or too tight in the holster. 
A quick draw is sometimes necessary. 
Be in no hurry about finally deciding on 
the belt gun. Try them all, borrow those 
of your friends, but when once you find 
the right gun and like it—stick to this 
one. The great shots of the world—target 
or frontiersmen—are known as the one 
gun men. In all branches of shooting 
there is no other rule that is as hard and 
fast as that of using one gun only. 

Treat this gun seriously, it may be a 


THE SIDE ARM 


107 


friend in need. Never draw just for the 
fun of showing off. Get into the habit 
of knowing that at best a revolver is a 
dangerous article unless handled with 
care. Have confidence in your weapon and 
the best of all side arms for a sportsman, 
and the one that will win confidence 
soonest and stay longest is the 38 Special. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


CARE OF THE GUN 

T O the question: “How long will a 
gun last?” comes a simple answer: 
“As long as you want it to.” Any gun of 
standard make will give excellent service 
through the life of an average man when 
used for shooting purposes as the average 
man would use it. 

To last, guns must be carefully cleaned. 
To shoot accurately, they must be cleaned 
often. Such is the dictum that we have 
gone by for years. Still, a year ago I han¬ 
dled a rifle belonging to my Adirondack 
guide, that hadn’t had an oil-rag through 
it for fifteen years, and on the very day I 
inspected this gun it added another deer 
to its long list. The barrel looked cloudy, 
but there was no disputing its accuracy. 
A week later, while gunning for birds with 
a friend, he casually remarked that he 
never cleaned his shot-gun until the season 
was over. That evening I surreptitiously 
ran a rag through the barrel, and much 


CARE OF THE GUN 


109 


to my surprise, the tube was as bright and 
shiny as my own which had always had, 
and always will have, theutmostconsidera- 
tion from a cleaning standpoint. Some¬ 
times we read of a man falling from a six- 
story building and merely breaking a 
cigar in his pocket. The two unkempt 
guns mentioned were apparently all right, 
but the schooling this writer has had and 
the teaching he has to offer is summed up 
in the words: “Clean ’em up.” 

More guns are ruined through misuse 
than use. A gun left uncleaned over night 
may become so pitted as to completely 
ruin its accuracy. The real sportsman 
takes pride in his equipment and no one 
can fondle with any sense of satisfaction, 
a pitted, rusted barrel. 

A good cleaning equipment is inexpen¬ 
sive. First comes the rod, and this should 
be made of wood jointed with brass ferules 
—if you use the high-power bottle-neck 
shells take along a broken shell extractor. 
A gun cabinet or dry place in the closet is 
the best place to keep the arms when not 
in use. Do not put them away in a leather 


IIO 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


or canvas case, without a good smearing 
of heavy grease. For the shot-gun rod, 
also have a bristle or brass brush or a 
scrapper. For the rifle do not use a steel 
brush, it will scratch the barrels. Cut up a 
flannel patch, dip in boiling water (if possi¬ 
ble) and scrub the barrel inside, wiping it 
dry immediately after. Don’t forget, in 
handling your guns, to always imagine it 
is loaded. Maybe some day you won’t be 
surprised. 

To clean a shot gun, there’s nothing 
better than the old-fashioned way of wet¬ 
ting the first patch with spittle; this to 
loosen up the residue of powder. Swab 
the barrel thoroughly, then a couple of 
dry patches, then one with a thin oil and 
then dried. When the patch comes clean, 
oil well, run through dry patches and then 
one soaked with heavy grease. Oil the gun 
completely outside and put away. 

The rifle—scald the inside of the barrel 
with boiling water and dry immediately. 
The high-power shells will leave metal 
fouling. This can be cleaned with any of 
the several good commercial nitro-sol- 


CARE OF THE GUN 


111 


i ounce 
200 grains 
4 ounces 

6 ounces 


vents. To those who would make up their 
own solution: 

Ammonia Persulphate 
Ammonia Carbonate 
Water 

Strong Ammonia 
containing 28% gas 
Powder the first two ingredients and 
dissolve in water, then add the stronger 
ammonia. Keep bottle tightly corked 
when not in use. When the barrel is 
thoroughly cleaned, smear with heavy 
grease. 

Examine all working parts, wipe clean 
from dust or dirt and oil. Keep the out¬ 
side metal bright and shiny. 

Revolver—A good cleaning fluid for 
nitro powders can be made up of the 
following: 

Astral oil 2 fluid ounces 

Sperm oil ] 

Acetone ] 

Turpentine ] 

Use a wooden rod. Put flannel patches 
over the end so that they fit the barrel 
snug. Clean from the breech whenever 


<< 


< < 


<< 


(t 


(( 


« 


112 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


possible and this applies to all guns. When 
the patches come out without discolora¬ 
tion, saturate a clean patch with a good 
thin oil and run through the barrel. A 
coating then of heavy grease will keep the 
arm in good condition when not to be 
used for some time. 

In the sportsman’s world, the unpar¬ 
donable sin is not to take care of one’s 
guns and equipment. Oils and grease are 
all right, the main thing is painstaking 
effort and honest work in keeping them 
bright and shiny—inside and out. 

Set the gun away to thoroughly dry 
and then repeat until seven or eight coats 
have been applied. After the barrel has 
been properly died, wash with hot water 
and polish with soft wool dampened with 
linseed oil. 

Before tackling this job for the first 
time, the amateur gunsmith might do 
well to practice on a piece of steel or on 
some one else’s gun! 


CHAPTER XIX 


HUNTING KNIFE AND AXE 

M OST any sporting goods store has 
on display a counter full of knives. 
To the casual observer, there is much 
wonderment as to the whys and where¬ 
fores of the great variety. A casual obser¬ 
ver has no place in the sporting goods 
store, this latter being the sanctum of a 
certain species of human each with a doz¬ 
en or so set opinions on everything in the 
equipment line for the outdoors. 

Hunting knives may generally be di¬ 
vided into two classes. The sheath and 
the folding blade. Both have their special 
advantages, but for the most purposes 
that a sportsman needs a knife, the 
sheath type will be found to be the best. 
Like the side arm, there are times when 
one wants his knife in a hurry. Instance 
the chap who ran his hand down between 
two rocks to retrieve a lost fly back. 
Instantly a huge black snake coiled 
around his arm. The sheath knife did 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


114 

a splendid autopsical job in a jiffy. 

For skinning purposes, the knife should 
have a finely tempered, thin, keen-edged 
blade, curving upward toward the point. 
The blade of between four and one-half 
and five inches is about right. This knife 
to serve its purpose should not be used 
for the rougher things around camp, such 
as cutting wood or the top of tin cans. 
For general use a sheath knife, say six or 
seven inches long, thick at the back and 
hollow ground at the sides and stiff 
toward the edge will be found to be bet¬ 
ter. For cutting saplings and the rough 
uses about camp this knife will serve the 
purpose. Comes still another type of out- 
doorsman who demands an all-purposes 
knife—one to skin, cut meat, dig in the 
earth and chop kindling. Just such a 
knife can be had. Nessmuck, one of the 
deans of outdoor life describes it in his 
book called “Woodcraft.” They can be 
secured at any first-class store. 

The handle of the knife is best when 
made of checkered wood—gives a better 
grip and is lighter than the usual style of 


HUNTING KNIFE AND AXE 


115 

leather made like washers. Stag handles 
are well enough for ornament—if you 
have one, use it for just that. 

See that the sheath is made of sturdy 
leather, that the knife fits snug and that 
the handle is fastened in with a snap or 
piece of leather shoestring. Carry the 
knife on the belt to one side not in front 
of the body. 

Aside from the sheath knife, it is well to 
also carry a double-blade pocket knife. 
Grind the smaller blade to a razor edge. 
Keep this clean and use if necessary for 
surgical purposes. A first-class knife is a 
necessity and like the firearms of today, 
the American-made knife is the best that 
can be procured. A good knife is not ex¬ 
pensive—a poor one is costly at any 
price. 

Nessmuck used a double bited axe. 
But Nessmuck knew how to use an axe. 
For the average voyager through the 
woods a double blade is not recommended. 
Nor should one go to the average hard¬ 
ware store for his outdoor axe. Of all the 
positive junk that clutters up a sport 


ii6 THE AMERICAN HUNTER 

dealer’s catalog, the average axe or hand 
axe as it is called, deserves to he placed 
at the top of the list. Not one in ten is 
worth the trouble to carry it. 

The sportsman’s axe which must be an 
all-purpose article should be a wide, thin 
and medium-length blade, and this should 
hang perfectly.With the helve of the blade 
out of line with the handle, will never 
prove satisfactory. About three and one- 
half pounds is the proper weight and the 
handle should be about thirty-three inches 
long. For camp work, a two-pound axe 
and handle twenty-eight inches long will 
be found to be about ideal. Keep the 
blade clean and most of all keep it sharp. 


CHAPTER XX 


DRESSING GAME 

M ANY odd jobs fall to the lot of the 
hunter and among these one of the 
least pleasant, but equally important, is 
the knowledge of how to properly dress 
game in the field. 

Time and money are freely spent by 
the big game hunter for the sake of getting 
even a single shot at a desirable head; 
frequently both are lost through inex¬ 
perience with the butchering knife. Pass 
the job on to someone else if you can, 
and if you can’t, roll up your sleeves, 
take an extra notch in your mid-section 
belt and go to it. Remember first, last and 
all times these cardinal points, i. Don’t 
cut the animal on the throat. 2. Don’t 
cut the hide off with a short neck. 3. 
Don’t dry the hide in the sun; and 4. 
Don’t roll up the hide until it’s dry. 
Taxidermy is an art in itself and with 
this we have nothing to do in this chapter, 
except to prepare the skin in the field for 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


118 

more finished work at the bench later. 
Suppose it’s a deer. Twist the head to 
one side, throat down hill, then stick the 
knife in at the point of the breast. This 
will permit the blood to run without 
streaming over the hide—work the blade 
in deep until the blood vessels are sev¬ 
ered. After bleeding—make an incision 
down the back of the neck from just be¬ 
tween the antlers to the shoulder blade. 
Make incisions then from each antler to 
meet the line just cut. Skin until the 
ears are reached and detach close to the 
skull. Proceed carefully to the eyes and 
then nostrils. Cut the lips close to the 
teeth—the skin is now separated from 
the skull. Pull it off and then remove 
from the skin every particle of fat and 
flesh. Skin out the ears and lips, then 
stretch the hide to dry, naturally in a cool 
place. If the weather is damp the skin 
should be salted and get it to the taxider¬ 
mist as soon as you can. 

There are no set rules for butchering 
game. Conditions vary so that a lengthy 
description of what to do under one cir- 


DRESSING GAME 


11 9 

cumstance would have no application 
under another. Few novices go into big 
game country unaccompanied by a guide 
and the latter will take care of this work. 
Every hunter, however, should have a 
general knowledge. Go to your butcher 
shop or local abbatoir; the operations 
there will stand you in hand later. 

At best it’s a simple matter. Skin the 
deer while yet warm. Hang him by one 
hind leg, cut the skin from the top joint 
to the second joint of the leg, make an 
incision around the back and then skin 
downward. Handle gently and the skin 
will peel easily. Cut the skin down the 
center of the belly to the breast, but do 
not cut into the flesh. Gently but firmly 
draw the skin off the whole carcass. A 
sharp knife is needed. After the deer is 
skinned, hang him up by both hind 
legs, insert knife in breast and rip up 
belly. Keep the deer open with a 
double pronged stick. Reach in above the 
kidneys and release the entrails. Then 
take out liver, heart and lights. If possible 
let deer hang twenty-four hours. Broiled 


120 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


liver will help to make the decision. 

Take your axe—split from neck to 
tail, divide into fore quarters and hind 
quarters. The meat is now ready for the 
epicure. 

It is well to carry a few yards of cheese 
cloth. Flies gather quickly around fresh 
butchered meat. Dip this cloth in alum 
water before leaving home and wind it 
closely around the meat. To cure a ham of 
venison, use the following recipe: Salt 
three pounds, allspice four tablespoonfuls, 
black pepper, five tablespoonfuls, mix 
thoroughly and rub over the meat. Deer 
is better the longer it is hung. Bear meat 
requires much salt to cure it, other game 
does not, and remember that salt has a 
tendency to draw the juices. The live 
weight of a deer may be computed from 
the dressed weight as follows: add five 
ciphers to the dressed weight in pounds 
and divide by 78,612. The quotient will be 
the live weight in pounds. 

Birds should be dry picked and prefer¬ 
ably when they are still warm. Clean im¬ 
mediately and thoroughly dry the inside 



DRESSING GAME 


I 21 


birds in warm weather, stuff insides with 
dry charcoal from the campfire and wrap 
in a cloth. To keep fish in camp, kill them 
by striking with blunt instrument as soon 
as caught, later cut off” the heads, clean, 
then string through the tails and hang 
them head down in a cool, breezy place. 

Tanning the hide of a deer is a simple 
matter, provided one is indifferent to the 
amount of manual labor attached. There 
are recipes on the market by the ton, 
some contain sulphuric acid, some lye 
and some other agents. None will do the 
trick as effectively as elbow grease and 
plenty of it. The hide must be softened 
and the hair taken off with a knife that 
has a scraping and not a cutting edge. A 
hide will grain better the way the hair 
runs. The hide must be pulled and 
stretched until every blood vessel, small 
as they are, is broken, and it will be rub¬ 
bed soft quicker if deer-brains are rubbed 
into it. Buckskin must be smoked, other¬ 
wise it will dry after a wetting. 


CHAPTER XXI 


CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR 


T HESE are the days when sporting 
goods catalogs are full of pictures of 
handsome gentlemen wearing garments 
of which each piece has a number and a 
price, earnestly engaged in hunting sur¬ 
rounded by appropriate scenery. 

Every experienced hunter must realize 
that proper apparel is the first essential 
to real pleasure and success afield. He 
knows too that rain, snow, brush and 
brier have always searched out and 
found weakness in some of the best gar¬ 
ments that he could procure. The aver¬ 
age material has proven far from ideal, 
the service it must render is too varied 
and the tests it must withstand are too 
severe, and most frequently the designing 
and tailoring have been such as to limit 
its usefulness. 

Time was when any old garment 
would do, but times have changed. The 
sportsman of today is particular about his 









THE PIPE OF PEACE 

The old briar is at its best on the road home when body 
and soul are satisfied with things just as they are 






CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR 125 


attire, how it looks, fits and wears, and 
more than anything else he is concerned 
with its bodily protective features against 
the elements. 

A hunting suit must possess warmth 
with light weight, strength without stiff¬ 
ness, capacity with convenience. 

For simplicity’s sake, suppose we divide 
the hunting season into three periods and 
two climates. The seasons would be early 
fall, autumn and winter, and the climatic 
division would come as North and South. 
Any fall season presupposes rain or snow, 
the degree of which may be determined 
by the territorial placement of the hunt¬ 
ing grounds. There being a certainty of 
rough and wet weather during some por¬ 
tion of the days afield, the first and most 
important item then will be the water¬ 
proofing feature of your garment, no 
matter what the cloth. Many suits adver¬ 
tised as waterproof are merely water 
repellent, and to these there may be 
an objection owing to the chemical used, 
as it may stiffen or crack the cloth. 
The popular method of treating*cloth is 


126 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


with salts of aluminum, lanolin and elec¬ 
trolysis. Buy your garments of a reputable 
dealer and buy only the standard nation¬ 
ally advertised brands, and you won’t go 
wrong. For those who prefer to do the 
waterproofing at home, the following 
recipes will be found of tested value. For 
woolen waterproofing, make a solution of 
anhydrous lanolin in gasoline, soak gar¬ 
ment for a few minutes, wring it out, 
stretch it back to shape and hang it up to 
dry. For cotton garments, rub the outer 
side with a cake of paraffine then iron 
with medium hot iron. This process is only 
an emergency measure. The lanolin on 
wool is permanent. 

For early fall and in the South, a high- 
grade khaki cloth will prove the most 
serviceable, and in the winter months, 
moleskin or wool, say 32 ounces, will 
prove ideal. In color, the suit should be 
olive drab for low visibility. Corduroy is 
impractical for any hunting purpose 
within the knowledge of the writer. 

The hat, if made of khaki with a roll 
brim, the underneath of which is lined 


CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR 


127 


with red, and the crown being reversible 
with red flannel underneath, is the best. 
I he roll brim will keep the water and 
snow from going down the neck and the 
red may save you from being mistaken 
for a deer and pot-shotted by an excited 
gunman. 

The coat should be roomy, have plenty 
of pockets, and give ample freedom for 
the arms in any shooting position. 
Breeches or trousers may be worn; trous¬ 
ers are best as there are no lacings to bind 
the calves of the legs. Have front of legs 
and seat reinforced with a waterproof 
material. The shirt at all seasons should 
be flannel, either olive drab or gray. 
Nothing better can be found than the 
army shirt. Wear a string necktie of some 
color, looks better and may come in 
handy to tie a broken implement or use as 
tourniquet. The underwear should be 
light-weight wool. Put on more suits as 
the weather turns colder; two thin suits 
are warmer than one heavy. Socks at all 
times should be good quality of soft, 
heavy wool. Wash the feet and socks as 


128 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


often as possible. A silk handkerchief to 
wear around the neck is preferred by 
some to the old-fashioned bandanna—a 
matter of choice, but take one or the 
other. Leave the sweater home, unless you 
are going into camp; then it is a comfy 
thing to have in the early morning or 
late at night around campfire. For hunt¬ 
ing wear, it’s about as useless as a sore 
thumb. The ideal shirt is one made of 
smoke-tanned buckskin, but they are 
difficult to procure. 

For the colder climates and zero weath¬ 
er, a cruiser shirt and woolen pants are 
the ideal wear. In color they should be 
olive drab. 

Footwear, of course, depends on the 
manner of hunting, hip boots for the duck 
marsh, hobnailed shoes for the uplands, 
and nothing will serve better than the 
army shoes. These should be waterproofed. 
There are several inexpensive and meri¬ 
torious compounds on the market. These 
preparations last for a certain time. A 
somewhat more sticky mixture, but one 
that will stay on can be made of tar, to 


CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR 


129 


which add a small piece of pine pitch; 
heat and when cool enough not to harden, 
apply with a brush. Your shoes will not 
leak. High leather boots look well in the 
store windows. Moccasins without heels 
and made of real moosehide find much 
favor, but buckskin and leather become 
slippery as glass in dry weather and leak 
like a sieve in wet. 

About the most satisfying footwear for 
every purpose except duck shooting, that 
the writer has found is a ten-inch boot, 
leather lace top and rubber bottom. 
These are even better than the shoe pac 
which comes nearer to being water¬ 
proofed than anything else. 

Break in your footwear before the hunt¬ 
ing trip. Get your boots or shoes plenty 
large. In all clothing or footwear get the 
best, it’s cheaper in the long run. 


CHAPTER XXII 


THE DOG 

W RITERS of all ages unite in bearing 
testimony to the faithfulness and 
devotion of the dog to his master. No 
other member of the animal kingdom ever 
has stood, or ever will stand in quite the 
same relation to the sportsman as his fa¬ 
vorite canine, be it pointer, setter, spaniel, 
hound, or any other breed by whatever 
name it might be called. Of them all, the 
spaniel is conceded to be the progenitor 
of the dogdom race. Through this ances¬ 
tral line came the setter. The pointer 
comes from the race of hounds, and this 
latter embraces the widespread blood 
strains of harrier, beagle, otter-hounds, 
and in line Airedale. 

From time immemorial, sportsmen argue 
of the advantages of the setter over the 
pointer, and vice versa. These pages have 
nothing to do with the settlement of this 
mooted question. Every sporting dog has 
his place and to that dog every sportsman 


THE DOG 


I 3 I 

owes the same measure of friendship and 
kindliness given by his dumb but faith¬ 
ful companion. 

Hunting dogs should have the character 
for intelligence and courage, and both can 
be developed to a very high degree by 
careful handling. Any man with the right 
mental poise, patience, kindness and 
firmness, can break his dog. In this there 
is ample reward for the labor expended. 
Watch your dog, get to know his whims 
and idiosyncrasies. 

Negligent handling will produce a 
careless dog. Exercise patience and dis¬ 
cretion. Punish when necessary, but let 
the correctional effort be done without 
anger. The great secret of success in dog 
breaking is to know what you want done, 
stick to it, and keep everlastingly at it. 
Any dog can be broken to the will of his 
master by intelligent application to the 
work in hand. 

Do not feed your hunting dog too 
much and keep down the meat diet. A 
rule, to follow in feeding, is to give him 
about two ounces of food per day for 


132 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


every pound he weighs. Give very little 
milk and no potatoes. Give him plenty ol 
large meat bones. Dog biscuits are good; 
start him on these when he is a puppy. 
Puppies should be fed after weaning, 
every two hours, then lengthen the time 
until he is about four months old. Have a 
regular time to feed your dog. Keep him 
supplied with plenty of fresh drinking 
water at all times. Take care of your dog, 
see that his bedding is dry and away 
from draughts. He needs plenty of exer¬ 
cise. Let him out of the house the first 
thing in the morning and the last thing at 
night. 

When your dog is sick, don’t imagine 
that his eating grass is all the attention 
that he needs. Dogs have exactly the 
same diseases as a man and will respond 
to the same treatment. Use castor oil 
when needed. Santonin and areca are 
remedies for worms. Carbolic acid for 
external wounds and skin troubles. Sali¬ 
cylate of soda for a blood purifier. A dip 
made of lye and sulphur will act effective¬ 
ly on fleas. A box of lye to a barrel of 


THE DOG 


133 


water, and to this add an ounce of sul¬ 
phuric acid. This makes a busy moment 
for the flea. Don’t shoot your dog when 
you imagine he has hydrophobia. Isolate 
him, then a purgative and send for the 
veterinary. 

Highly educated dogs cost money, but 
if you can afford it, buy your dog al¬ 
ready trained and make certain that he 
is not gun shy. 

In the matter of color in pointers and 
setters, the former is to be preferred when 
liver and white and the latter white, 
black and tan, with good-sized black 
patches. The cocker spaniel is used by 
some for partridge, but is better adapted 
for the slower work of woodcock and 
snipe. A pointer works well on either, but 
the setter.is preferred by some on ac¬ 
count of the water and thick cover. 
Others favor the pointer on prairie 
chicken. The setter will stand the pace 
better because his feet stand the sharp- 
edged grass. On quail the setter is apt to 
collect a hide full of burrs and the point¬ 
er’s short hair will not. In the far North, 


T 34 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


pointers are in favor; in the Gulf States, 
the setter is in demand. It has been my 
privilege to own, break, and hunt over 
both for many years. Between the two, 
the matter of choice largely lies in the dog 
of the moment. 

The trainer of dogs does not make 
them bird dogs, he merely develops all 
the good qualities that are instinctive 
with hunting dogs. He teaches them good 
manners. 

First find out if your dog shows a 
desire to find birds. Let him run as wild 
as he will in the preliminary stages. 
Obedience later on is merely a matter of 
patience on the master’s part. Study your 
dog, see if he is a bold, courageous chap 
with sharp instincts and a tendency to 
develop rapidly; see if he has a good nose 
and a keen intellect. Learn these things 
in the early development of your dog. 
The man who likes bird dogs and has any 
aptitude for breaking them can make a 
genius of himself by close study and hard 
work in the field. 

If it is really game that you wish, with 


THE DOG 


*35 


plenty of moments of thrill, use either a 
pointer or setter. But if your mind runs 
to other and sportier things in good fel¬ 
lowship, if you want one of the most en¬ 
gaging, brightest, intelligent and most 
affectionate little fellows, your choice 
will be confined to the cocker or other 
sporting spaniels. They get into less 
trouble and make more entertainment 
than any other dog. He will learn any¬ 
thing you care to teach him. In all the 
world of dogdom, to my mind, there is 
nothing more human in its companionship 
than the cocker. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


CAMERAS AND FIELD GLASSES ■ 

H UNTING glasses tor the mere sake 
of finding game are as a rule not 
needed. But the expense or care in toting 
around a good binocular is more than 
compensated by the pleasure received. 
There are times when a glass will save 
one many miles of hiking over the bar¬ 
rens of mooseland, and for the northern 
big game hunting, such as bear and goat, 
they are almost indispensable. The day of 
the old-fashioned long pull telescope has 
given way to the more modern prismatic 
binocular in which the line of sight is 
deflected by means of prisms situated 
between the eye-lens and the object- 
lens. These glasses are smaller in size 
than the old double straight barrel 
affair—they give a larger field of view and 
greater illumination. 

In the better grades there is a hinge 
adjustment to take care of the distance 
between the eyes and also a separate 


CAMERA AND FIELD GLASSES 137 

focus for each eye. For the outdoorsman, 
a pair of binoculars with magnifying 
power of six diameters is about right. 
The greater the magnifying power, the 
less will be the illumination. As in most 
everything else that is purveyed to the 
sportsman, you will find the market 
flooded with cheap glasses that are worse 
than worthless. The finest pair the writer 
ever owned were taken away from a 
German officer during the late war. The 
same glass is on sale at any good optical 
or sporting store. 

American-made glasses are quite good 
enough for any one. These glasses are 
complicated affairs and should not be 
taken apart by the amateur for cleaning— 
let an expert do this, should it ever be 
necessary. A good leather case is essential, 
and these will be better if lined with 
flannel. 

Going through dusty country or sand 
storms it is well to bind the top edges of 
the case with adhesive tape—takes only a 
second to rip it off and the glasses are 
kept clean. Focus one eye at a time, hold- 


138 THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


ing the hand over the other lens with 
both eyes open. Get the right focus, 
otherwise there is the liability for eye- 
strain. The glasses are best carried when 
the case is fastened to the belt. A strap 
permits them to swing and be jarred. A 
pair of binoculars with ordinary care will 
last a lifetime—the first expense is the 
last and il it’s glasses you must have, 
shop around, take along an experienced 
hunter friend, and get the very best that 
you can afford. That’s to see at the pres¬ 
ent—the other point is to preserve for 
the future pleasurable reminiscences the 
scenes of yesteryear. 

The subject of a camera is important. 
Hundreds of miles away from home you 
snap and snap with implicit confidence 
and hope that the pictures will come out 
all right. On a northern trip, some years 
ago, my companion with a ninety-dollar 
lens and self-admittedly a photographic 
expert, chided me for the four-dollar 
square box and lens I carried. Fortunately 
we both snapped many of the same 
scenes. Those with my black box and 



CAMERA AND FIELD GLASSES 139 

inexperience proved to be the only good 
pictures of the hunt. Several, in fact, were 
declared to be masterpieces, for which of 
course I could take no credit. Photog¬ 
raphy is a complicated business at best 
and the average sportsman’s mind usual¬ 
ly runs in other directions. For this reason 
it would appear that the sensible camera 
is one that requires the least ingenuity 
to manipulate. It has always been my 
practice to go heavily loaded with film, 
snap everything at any old time, and 
trust to luck. The average of success 
seems to run high. Out of about fifty ex¬ 
posures at least forty will find their way 
to the scrapbook. Do not take a camera 
using plates; film packs are nearly as bad. 
The roll film seems to be more satisfac¬ 
tory for carrying in the duffle bag. T welve 
exposures to the film, or ten, save time 
in handling over the shorter rolls. 

Most hunting pictures are stereotyped. 
A fallen moose, and ye hunter bold stand¬ 
ing with left foot resting against the 
breast, or, if alone, the big animal stretched 
prone with rifle athwart the antlers. 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


140 

The commonplaces of a hunting trip are 
more interesting—the things that we 
know so well make a strong appeal to the 
inexperienced and may be the means of 
arousing a desire in the breast of another; 
thus is born a new sportsman. 

The choice of a camera may rest some¬ 
what with the size of one’s pocketbook. 
Cameras run in prices from practically 
nothing to Rolls-Royce figures. For the 
work in hand, a tripod is out of the ques¬ 
tion; this implies a fast lens and snap 
shooting. A small-sized camera will an¬ 
swer all purposes and permit of enlarge¬ 
ments to suitable proportions. Two of the 
popular sizes are 2^x4*^ and 3Tf x 5/^? 
both taking rectangular pictures which 
lend themselves readily to artistic com¬ 
position. 

The whole theory of taking good pic¬ 
tures lies in the following points. The 
nearer the camera is to the object to be 
photographed, the more light required. 
The farther away, less light, and the camera 
must be stopped accordingly. Stopped 
at four, you are getting as much light 


CAMERA AND FIELD GLASSES 141 


as possible. Stop sixteen is best for all 
around general work. On bright days or 
on water, stop sixty-four. Same for moun¬ 
tains and clouds. For camp scenes, get 
plenty of light and set for snap shooting. 
Always hold the camera level and steady. 
The main object of the picture should be 
just to one side of center, so that the lines 
of the photo will converge toward it. 

Make sure you’re right, then snap¬ 
shoot, and the rightest way of being right 
is to take plenty of film. 


CHAPTER XXIV 


HUNTING POSTED PROPERTY 

R OD and gun clubs dot the horizon of 
America, and their name is legion. 
Ordinarily, their tenure of life can be 
measured in inches on the yardstick of 
time. A few fellows get together and de¬ 
cide to create a club. Officers are elected, 
an assessment is levied to give the right 
tone and color to the treasury. The lay¬ 
out then, from the average angle, is com¬ 
plete. For the next month or so, perhaps 
six months, the club functions after a 
fashion. Then happens the inevitable. A 
member drops out, then another, and 
more, until only a few of the stand-bys, 
honest-to-goodness gun cranks, encircle 
the bewildered secretary and ask, “What’s 
the matter?” The answer not forthcoming 
more guns desert the locker, and in final¬ 
ity we find the remnants of So-and-So Rod 
and Gun Club only a shattered wreck 
of hopes, the sign comes down and the 
whole thing is cobwebbed in reminiscence. 


HUNTING POSTED PROPERTY 143 

Is this not so? 

Then why? 

To my mind the crux of the situation 
lies in the fact that we build our structure 
from the top, in place of starting at the 
bottom. We overlook a fundamental, 
without which no club has ever been, or 
ever will be, successful. We make every 
preparation for the hunt in the matter of 
clothes and sporting impedimenta, but 
we contribute to a fateful negligence 
when we are amiss on the subject, “How 
to Hunt Posted Property.” 

You and I, and every sportsman who 
has gone afield, have had the solution of 
this situation at hand. We have had the 
posted property thing thrust at us, glar¬ 
ingly, damnably, and imperatively, on 
every milestone of our journey. Once 
solve the question of hunting posted 
property and you have rendered to the 
nth. degree of simplicity, the successful 
career of your rod and gun clubs. 

Posted signs are more generously sprin¬ 
kled about than the stars in the milky 
way, and the tendency seems to be 


1 44 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


headed toward trespass warnings on 
what little ground has been overlooked. 
There are certain states in the Union 
where it is impossible for the stranger to 
hunt unless he places himself in the mid¬ 
dle of the public highway and risks a shot 
between glares of the observant farmer 
on either side of the fence. Reducing the 
problem to its elementals, you will find 
that the farm owner and the landowner 
are the barrier that stands between your 
club’s success and failure. 

Right here, permit me to emphasize a 
point—the farmer and the landowner 
have found ample justification in posting 
their property. Broken fences, undone 
gates, injured stock, and in many places 
depredations and vandalism, as surpris¬ 
ing as they have been costly, sponsor the 
attitude of the farmer in keeping city 
sportsmen from his domain. Without a 
place to hunt and fish, without an in¬ 
terest by the hunter and angler in the 
propagation and conservation . of game, 
without the good-will of the farmer, the 
rod and gun clubs curl up and edge 


HUNTING POSTED PROPERTY 145 


away from the necessity of existence. 

The amelioration of this condition has 
engaged the attention of sportsmen for 
many years. In isolated cases, some good 
has been done, though the tendency has 
been a reaction which at best must be 
termed provincial. There is a plan which 
appeals to me as being the soundest 
method of solving the sportsmen dilemma. 
The objectives of this plan are first, last 
and all the time, to recognize the farmer’s 
rights as a sportsman and landowner; to 
seek the co-operation of the farmer by 
co-operating with him to protect his 
property; to assist him in securing game 
for propagation and see that in some 
manner he is reimbursed for his trouble; 
to share with the farmer the burden as 
well as the pleasure of hunting and fishing; 
to truly balance the administrative au¬ 
thority and manipulation of the rod and 
gun clubs affairs by having in the direc¬ 
torate an equal number of farmers and 
city sportsmen; to work with the farmer 
to the end of securing such legislation 
that will work to his best interests and 


146 THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


those of the majority; to encourage a 
spirit and morale of better sportsmanship; 
make closer observance of the game laws; 
to foster the effort to reduce hunting ac¬ 
cidents; to emphasize a true regard for 
wild animal life and its repopulation in 
hunting terrain; the necessity of game 
conservation, reforestation of waste lands, 
and the dissemination of educational 
matter for the information of campers, 
outdoorsmen, anglers,and hunters,—these 
are the basic principles of this plan which 
starts at the very beginning, right where 
it should, and this is the local unit of 
organization: The local club shall have as 
its officers a president, a vice-president, 
secretary and treasurer, and eleven direc¬ 
tors. The power of administration shall 
be invested in the board of directors, 
which shall be composed of five farmers, 
five city sportsmen, and the deputy game 
warden. Membership is open to every 
farmer in the county and to all sports¬ 
men who have been able to secure hunt¬ 
ing licenses, who are reputable citizens of 
the United States, male or female,—or 


HUNTING POSTED PROPERTY 147 


one who has taken the preliminary steps 
to become a citizen,—and over these the 
club will eventually exercise a certain 
control in the matter of securing their 
licenses. Each member will be given a 
numbered card, and at certain periods the 
farmer members will receive bulletins 
giving the names, addresses and number 
of those belonging to the organization. 
The hunting grounds will be posted with 
trespass signs issued under the seal of the 
national organization and none but 
members will be permitted to enter these 
grounds and then only after announcing 
his name and number to the landowner, 
who shall hold the hunter responsible for 
any damage done to the property on the 
day so occupied. Should a complaint be 
lodged against any member for damage 
or the violation of the game laws, the 
offending member will be summoned to 
appear before the directors, and the 
deputy game warden will act as chair¬ 
man for the hearing. The number of 
clubs in any county shall be unrestricted, 
each club, however, will take its name 


148 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


from the city, town or village in which 
it is organized. From each club in the 
county will be selected two members, one 
a farmer and the other a city sportsman 
who do not hold office in the local or¬ 
ganization. These two men will represent 
their unit by acting as directors of the 
state organization composed of all the 
clubs in that state. The principal other 
officer of the state organization will then 
be a secretary, and his office shall be 
located at the state capitol, where he may 
keep in touch with the legislators and be 
in a position to promote such legislation 
as the membership body may deem 
necessary. The state associations in turn 
will form the National Federation of 
Outdoor Sportsmen of America, the main 
officers of which will be two directors 
from each state, one a farmer and one a 
city sportsman, with the secretary or his 
delegate maintaining an office at Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., where close co-operation 
can be given the federal authorities on 
all matters pertaining to hunting and 


HUNTING POSTED PROPERTY 149 


It is a notable fact that the sportsmen 
of the country are but poorly organized, 
and this militates against the accomplish¬ 
ment of many things of benefit to them. 
Lack of organization hinders or defeats 
beneficial legislation, and also prevents 
the sportsmen, farmer and city, from 
getting together and working in the in¬ 
terest of game preservation and propaga¬ 
tion. 

The need of organization is imperative. 
“We recently heard,” states R. P. Hol¬ 
land, of the American Game Protective 
Association, “that a politician said he 
opposed any measure advocated by the 
sportsmen.” Mr. Holland continues: “Has 
this man any idea who the sportsmen 
are? Washington, Lincoln, Harrison, 
Cleveland and Roosevelt were men who 
enjoyed a day afield with rod or gun.” 

“Who are the sportsmen of today? 
You will find among them the most 
substantial men in any community. They 
are the backbone of the nation. Doctors, 
lawyers, merchants, every profession and 
everv business is represented. What about 


1 5 ° 


THE AMERICAN HUNTER 


the farmer? There are perhaps more farm¬ 
ers who hunt than any one class. It is a 
rash statement for any man to say that 
he is opposed to any measure advocated 
by sportsmen.” 

Nevertheless, the tendency of some 
legislators has been to ignore the wishes 
of the men who go afield. Under the 
operation of this plan, legislators will be 
brought to a full and speedy realization 
that the wishes and desires of their con¬ 
stituents merit serious attention. 

These are the problems that the na¬ 
tional organization could and would take 
hold of with a giant’s grip. This done 
we come to a pleasurable realization of 
more sport and more game, and arrive 
at the solution ol ‘‘How to Hunt Posted 
Property.” 


I 





















































































